Abstract

Beef is one of the main nutritional sources to people, and its consumption is highly dependent on its sensory characteristics. Changes to the textural and flavor properties of this food can affect the acceptability by consumers. The aim of this work was to develop a condiment containing ficin with the ability to improve the sensory characteristics of beef. Dehydration and triphasic separation methods were used to extract ficin from figs fruit, and its enzyme activity was confirmed through Balls and Hoover method. The protein extract with the fastest enzyme activity as representation of a better activity was selected to develop the condiments. Two formulations containing 0.5 and 1 wt.% of ficin were prepared, and their safe consumption was tested through microbiologic tests based on normative NTE INEN 2532. The activity of condiments was tested on the firmness of beef fillets. Furthermore, the acceptability of texture and flavor of fried beef fillets treated with the condiments was also evaluated through acceptability ranking sensory test. The triphasic separation method favored the obtention of ficin with the best enzyme activity. The beef fillets treated with the condiment at 1 wt.% of ficin exhibited better firmness characteristics and higher acceptability by consumers. These results could be used as base to research condiments containing ficin able to improve the sensory characteristics of meat products with the aim of increasing their consumption.

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