Effect of endogenous acid proteinases on the properties of edible films prepared from Alaska pollack surimi

The existence of endogenous acid proteinases in Alaska pollack surimi and their effect on mechanical properties of surimi films were investigated. The optimum pH of acid proteinases involved in the degradation of myosin heavy chain (MHC) was 3.0, and the optimum temperature was 45 °C. The degradation of MHC was completely inhibited by pepstatin A together with any one of cysteine proteinase inhibitors, suggesting that acid proteinases present in surimi are mainly cathepsin D and cysteine proteinases. The concomitant decrease of surimi film strength with the extent of MHC degradation was observed, but surimi films were formed even when most of MHC was degraded. The main associative forces responsible for the surimi films prepared at pH 3.0 were ionic bonds and hydrophobic interactions.