Behaviour of texture-modified meats using proteolytic enzymes during gastrointestinal digestion simulating elderly alterations

Marta Gallego; Raúl Grau; Pau Talens

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109341

Behaviour of texture-modified meats using proteolytic enzymes during gastrointestinal digestion simulating elderly alterations

Meat Sci. 2023 Dec:206:109341. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109341. Epub 2023 Sep 12.

Authors

Marta Gallego¹, Raúl Grau¹, Pau Talens²

Affiliations

¹ Departamento Tecnología de Alimentos, Instituto Universitario de Ingeniería de Alimentos - FoodUPV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
² Departamento Tecnología de Alimentos, Instituto Universitario de Ingeniería de Alimentos - FoodUPV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: pautalens@tal.upv.es.

PMID: 37717338
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109341

Abstract

This study aimed to apply different proteolytic enzymes (bromelain, papain, and flavourzyme) to develop texture-modified meats suitable for people with chewing or swallowing problems. The samples were categorised at level 6 (soft and bite-sized food) of the dysphagia diet, characterised in terms of physicochemical and textural parameters, and evaluated for their behaviour during gastrointestinal digestion simulating elderly alterations. In general, the enzyme-treated samples had lower moisture content, weight, and diameter of the piece of meat, and presented colour differences compared to the control samples. Textural analyses did not show significant differences in terms of hardness and cohesiveness for the texture-modified meats, while flavourzyme-treated samples presented less elasticity. Instrumental mastication assay showed the breakdown of samples' structure mainly during the first mastication cycles, with flavourzyme-treated samples presenting slightly higher consistency. The protein digestibility of the meats greatly increased after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, but a decrease in proteolysis for the control and papain-treated samples in the altered gastric model and an increase for flavourzyme-treated samples in the altered both gastric and intestinal model were shown compared to standard conditions. These results allow integrating knowledge to design foods that better meet the requirements of dysphagics or elderly people.

Keywords: Aging; Enzymes; In vitro digestion; Pork loin; Protein digestibility; Texture.