Utilização da casca do abacaxi (Ananas comosus) desidratada como amaciante para carne bovina

Abstract

Beef quality, especially tenderness, has been increasingly under pressure from consumers. In this case, the use of natural and commercial tenderizers has been an alternative to improve the tenderness of meat cuts. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of different meat tenderizers in relation to the fresh cut. A commercial tenderizer based on papain and two products obtained from drying pineapple peel by freeze-drying and in an oven were used on samples of sirloin (Longissimus dorsi), in relation to the parameters of pH, colorimetry, water retention capacity, cooking loss and shear force. The experiment was conducted at LAPAGRO/UFGD using four treatments with four replicates (steaks) each. From the pineapple peel, the experiment was conducted by drying in an oven (60°C/72h) and freeze drying (−40°C for 7 days). Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test at 5% significance. The results indicated that there was no significant difference between treatments for pH, WHC and shear force. Cooking loss was significantly lower in treatments with softeners, specifically in the commercial softener. Colorimetry showed significant differences in components A* and B*, in the intensity of red and yellow, influenced by the color of the softeners applied. It was concluded that, although treatments with bromelain were not statistically significant compared to the control in relation to instrumental softness, they showed a positive trend in water retention and reduction of cooking loss, with emphasis on freeze-dried pineapple peel as a promising alternative for natural softener.