Effect of proteases from ginger rhizome on the fragmentation of myofibrils and tenderness of chicken breast

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the proteases from the crude ginger extract and evaluate its effect on myofibrils fragmentation and tenderness of the Pectoralis major muscle in broiler. Proteases present in the extract showed great activity at 60 °C, pH of 5.5, and total protein content of 2.32 ± 0.28 mg mL−1. The chicken breasts injected with 5% (w/v) of the crude ginger extract did not show significant increase (P ≥ 0.05) of sarcomere length and post-cooking weight loss. However, a reduction in the value of shear force (P < 0.05), an increase of myofibrillar fragmentation index (P < 0.01), and a reduction of myofibrillar fragments length (P < 0.001) was observed when compared to other treatments. The results of the application of the extract using the Pectoralis major muscle as model system reinforce the hypothesis that the crude extract obtained from the rhizome of ginger is a technologically viable alternative to improve the tenderness and yield of drier cuts such as chicken breast.