EFFECT OF GLUTAMINASE PREPARATION FROM BACILLUS-SUBTILIS GT STRAIN ONSENSORY EVALUATION OF PROCESSED MEAT-PRODUCTS

The enzyme glutaminase (EC 3.5.1.2) catalyzes the reaction L-glutamine (Gln) into L-glutaminic acid (Glu) + NH3. Glu plays a key role in pro moting a delicious taste in meat and meat products (umami). This study was conducted to determine the effect of glutaminase preparation (Glu taminase Daiwa) from Bacillus subtilis GT strain on the sensory evalua tion of processed meat products. A model ham was prepared as follows: 10 % pickle consisted of 10 % NaCl, 0.03 % NaNO2, 3 % sugar, 0.5 % whi te pepper and 0.2 % polyphosphates per meat weight was injected into p ork loin and cured at 4 degrees C for 3 days. In Experiment 1, the enz yme preparation was added with 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 unit (U) per gram m eat. Experiment 2 was performed with 0.005, 0.01 and 0.05 U per gram m eat. Glu, ammonia and free amino acids in various samples were determi ned, and a sensory evaluation was performed. Glu content in samples in creased with the amount of glutaminase preparation. Ammonia content in samples also increased with the amount of enzyme preparation, but the production increased only up to 1.2 times that of the control. The re sults of free amino acids content in samples indicated that the enzyme preparation had a very high specificity. The 0.01 U samples in Experi ments 1 and 2 showed significantly higher sensory evaluation. These re sults suggested that the sensory evaluation of processed meat products is improved by the addition of this glutaminase preparation.