Production of cod (Gadus morhua) muscle hydrolysates. Influence of combinations of commercial enzyme preparations on hydrolysate peptide size range.

The complement of enzyme activities of a selection of commercial protease preparations were determined using fluorogenic substrates. Alcalase was used in combination with other commercial enzyme preparations to produce cod muscle (Gadus morhua) hydrolysates. Each muscle hydrolysate was characterized with respect to the percentage degree of hydrolysis (DH %), peptide molecular weight range, and free amino acid content. The enzyme preparations containing predominantly protease or endopeptidase activities achieved high DH % and produced significant amounts of peptides below a molecular weight of 3000. Alcalase combined with exopeptidase-rich preparations produced hydrolysates rich in low-molecular-weight peptides. Selecting combinations of enzyme preparations with complementary activity profiles could be used to manipulate the peptide molecular weight profile of hydrolysates.