Study of the Changes in Protein Fractions and Amino Acids of an Unfermented South African Dried Sausage

Abstract

Changes of the proteins in food, brought about by processing conditions, affect texture and taste. Many studies have been conducted on the changes of the proteins in fermented sausages, which is aided by the proteolytic enzymes or lactic acid producing organisms. Information on the changes brought about by the meat enzymes and drying process as such is still unknown. We report results in this respect as observed for South African dried sausage. Results show insolubilization of certain proteins and protein hydrolysis similar to ripening conditions. Most changes in proteins were observed in the smaller proteins with molecular mass below 10 000 Da with consecutive release of amino acids. Drying at different temperatures were shown to affect the observed changes in proteins. Keywords: Protein, unfermented sausage, South Africa, proteolytic enzyme, processing conditions J Food Tech in Africa (2002) 7, 101-