Effects of protein hydrolysate of antarctic krill on the state of water and denaturation of fish myofibrils during dehydration

Abstract

From the point of view of high utilization of antarctic krill, krill protein hydrolysates were prepared from antarctic krill meat and two species of shrimps by enzymic treatment using a protease. The hydrolysate prepared from each meat was added to lizard fish myofibrils in the concentration range of 2.5-12.5%, and the changes in the amount of unfrozen water in myofibrils associated with dehydration were analyzed by a differential scanning calorimetry. Ca2+-ATPase activity of myofibrils was simultaneously measured and the results were compared with those for the hydrolysates of two species of shrimps. The amount of unfrozen water was increased by the addition of each hydrolysate. A decrease in ATPase activity during dehydration was relieved synchronously with the increase of unfrozen water, indicating a close correlation between ATPase activity and the amount of unfrozen water. Addition of 5.0-7.5% of the hydrolysates showed the notice effect. These results suggest that the denaturation of myofibrils can be suppressed by the addition of the hydrolysates, since the hydrolysates constructed water molecules resulting in an increase in the amount of unfrozen water.