Evaluation of palatability, and physicochemical and histological properties of papain-treated minced fish for consumption by the elderly

Abstract

To improve the quality of fish (sea bream) served to elderly people who have difficulty in chewing and/or swallowing, the effects of various concentrations of protease (papain) on the palatability, and physicochemical and histological properties of minced sea bream (MSB) were examined. In papain-treated MSBs, an increase in the total free amino acid content and a significant decrease in meat toughness were observed with increasing concentrations of papain. Sensory evaluation revealed that the texture of the 0.2% and 0.3% papain-treated MSBs was more tender and easier to eat than 0.1% papain-treated MSBs. However, MSBs treated with 0.1% and 0.2% papain were tastier than those treated with 0.3% papain, with the latter treatment leading to the highest levels of bitter components (hypoxanthine and inosine) in the fish meat. Additionally, histological examination confirmed the complete disappearance of muscle cells and connective tissues in 0.3% papain-treated MSB. These results suggest that processing of MSB with a papain concentration of 0.2% is the most suitable for palatable consumption of this fish by the elderly. Copyright © 2014, Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology.