Development and characterization of a flavoring agent from oyster cooker effluent

The general composition of concentrated oyster cooker effluent (OCE) was 80 % moisture, 6.7% total nitrogen, 2.4% glycogen, and 8.5% ash. Optimum condi tions for enzymatic hydrolysis of OCE were 50 degreesC, 2 h of reaction tim e, 0.1% amylase mixture (alpha -amylase plus glucoamylase), and 0.2% protea se NP. Hydrolysis of OCE led to an increase in free amino acids, with tauri ne comprising similar to 20% of the total. Inosine monophosphate was predom inant (456 mg/100 g) among nucleotides and related compounds. Enzyme hydrol ysis increased extractable nitrogen by similar to2-fold, Trimethylamine, tr imethylamine oxide, and total creatinine levels were not affected by enzyme treatment. Predominant aroma-active components of enzyme-hydrolyzed OCE in cluded 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and 3-(methylthio)propanal. Results of this stu dy may help alleviate the wastewater disposal problem currently caused by O CE.