Comparison of Plant-origin Proteases and Ginger Extract on Quality Properties of Beef Rump Steaks

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of papain, bromelain, kiwifruit protease, ficin and ginger extract with different concentration (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 U/g) for improving the quality properties of beef rump steaks. The pH, cooking loss, Warner–Bratzler shear force, texture, colour, myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI), collagen heat solubility, content of soluble protein (CSP), electrophoresis and sensory evaluation are invested. The result showed that all of plant-origin proteases and ginger extract can improve quality characteristics of rump steaks, and ginger extract was found to be the most effective at reducing cooking loss and contributing to the desirable red color and sensory properties, while papain and bromelain were found to be the most effective at decreasing Warner–Bratzler shear force. Ginger extract can be applied in the industrial scale and household level as a convenient and effective method to improve meat qualities. Furthermore, high-quality rump beef steaks at a keen price would be more available for Chinese consumers.