Mechanically deboned Turkey meat with improved digestibility and biological value

Abstract

Enzymatic hydrolysates of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) for a long time have been used as flavouring and functional food ingredients in the food industry and also as the bases of formula foods for special dietary uses. The aim of the present study was to produce MDM hypo-antigenic products with improved digestibility and high biological value to be used as a milk protein alternative. turkey MDM was treated with digestive enzymes (trypsin and/or a-chymotrypsin, or pancreatin), followed by freeze drying. The optimised reaction conditions of hydrolysis were at 6% (w/v) of meat protein in 0.1% NaHCO3 buffer, pH 7.5; pancreatin enzyme with 50 TAME units/g meat protein substrate, 37 8C and 60 min). Hydrolysates (MDMH) were assessed for degree of hydrolyses (DH, %) by using trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid method and MW distribution by SDS-PAGE. Modification of immune reactive binding sites in MDMHs was monitored by immunoblot with cow’s milk, chicken egg or meat allergic human patients’ sera. Biological value indices (True Digestibility (TD), Net Protein Utilisation (NPU), Biological Value (BV)) were determined using rat feeding trials. Among the MDMH products, the pancreatic hydrolysate proved to be the most favourable in terms of biological value and digestibility as well as hypoallergenic property.