Beef Tenderizing Potential of Solanum dubium (Gubbain) protease

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Solanum dubium protease extract injection in tenderizing beef m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL). A total of 12 LTL muscles were obtained from 6 carcasses (from both left and right sides) at 24 h postmortem, and each muscle was divided into 2 equal samples to yield 24 samples (n = 12/treatment). Samples were then randomized to receive either an injection with S. dubium protease extract (at 10% of muscle weight) or no injection (control). After 24 h of incubation, the muscle was analyzed for color, sarcomere length (SL), myofibril fragment length (MFL), Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), collagen solubility, quantification of meat degradation, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The injected muscles with the S. dubium protease extract yielded lower (P < .001) WBSF values with a better L* (P < .05) compared with samples of the control muscles. The results of MFL and the quantification of meat degradation reflected the great ability of the protease extract to degrade myofibrillar proteins. Collagen was hydrolyzed significantly by the protease extract. SDS-PAGE showed the presence of several new lower molecular weight bands after treating muscle with the protease extract. WBSF was significantly related to SL, MFL and collagen solubility. The protease enzyme from S. dubium seeds may be a novel and promising option as a meat tenderizer.