A study of the effects of single and combined protease hydrolysis on myofibrillar versus collagenous proteins of poultry by-products has been conducted. The aim was to contribute with knowledge for increased value creation of all constituents of these complex by-products. A rational approach was implemented for selecting proteases exhibiting the most different activity towards the major protein-rich constituents of mechanically deboned chicken residue (MDCR). An initial activity screening of 18 proteases on chicken meat, turkey tendons and MDCR was conducted. Based on weight yield, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and SDS-PAGE, stem Bromelain and Endocut-02 were selected. Studies on hydrolysis of four different poultry by-products at 40 °C, evaluated by protein yield, SEC, and SDS-PAGE, indicate that the proteases' selectivity difference can be utilized in tailor-making hydrolysates, enriched in either meat- and collagen-derived peptides or gelatin. Three modes of stem Bromelain and Endocut-02 combinations during hydrolysis of MDCR were performed and compared with single protease hydrolysis. All modes of the protease combinations resulted in a similar approximately 15% increase in product yield, with products exhibiting similar SEC and SDS-PAGE profiles. This shows that irrespective of the modes of combination, the use of more than one enzyme in hydrolysis of collagen-rich material can provide means to increase the total protein yield and ultimately contribute to increased value creation of poultry by-products.
Keywords: Endocut-02; SDS-PAGE; SEC; enzymatic proteins hydrolysis; mechanically deboned chicken residue; poultry by-products; protease combinations; stem Bromelain.