<sup>1</sup>H NMR Reveals the Mechanism of Potassium Lactate on Proteolysis and Taste Metabolites of Rugao Ham
Xin Cai,
Renyong Liao,
Daodong Pan,
Qiang Xia,
Ying Wang,
Fang Geng,
Changyu Zhou,
Jinxuan Cao
Affiliations
Xin Cai
Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Renyong Liao
Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Daodong Pan
Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Qiang Xia
Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Ying Wang
School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
Fang Geng
Meat Processing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, No. 2025 Chengluo Avenue, Chengdu 610106, China
Changyu Zhou
Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
Jinxuan Cao
School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
To deepen the understanding of the effect of potassium lactate on the taste of Rugao ham, proteolysis index, enzyme activities and protein degradation of Rugao ham salted with potassium lactate (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%) were investigated. Metabolites of Rugao ham were identified by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and the metabolic pathways of the key metabolites were enriched by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG); the relationship between taste and metabolites was assessed by partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The hams with 2% potassium lactate showed lower cathepsin B and L activities, and higher aminopeptidase activities than that of the control group. The contents of free amino acids and organic acids significantly increased from the control to the treatment of 2% potassium lactate. PLS-DA further demonstrated that aspartate, glutamate, alanine, serine, threonine, acetate, lactate, succinate, carnosine, β-glucose and glycerol were the key metabolites to improve the taste of Rugao ham in the treatment of 2% potassium lactate. Metabolic pathways analysis further demonstrated that amino acids metabolism was the main pathway for the taste development of Rugao ham.
