Aplicación de la enzima transglutaminasa a productos cárnicos andinos: cuy (Cavia porcellus), pato (Anas platyrhynchos) y cordero (Ovis orientalis aries)

Abstract

This work was carried out with the aim of evaluating the use of transglutaminase in non-traditional meat products such as: guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and lamb (Ovis orientalis aries), in order to develop restructured meat products. Considering that, although these meats have high nutritional and cultural value, they are not yet available in innovative presentations within the market, which represents an opportunity for gastronomic development. Transglutaminase is an enzyme that binds proteins through bonds between glutamine and lysine, allowing meat products with better texture, cohesion and stability to be obtained without resorting to artificial additives. In this study, the enzyme was applied by dissolution in water and its incorporation into the meats was carried out using the controlled low temperature cooking technique with a equipment called sous vide, which keeps the temperature constant throughout the procedure, thus optimizing the enzymatic action. The treated samples were evaluated by a diverse pilot group, which analyzed attributes such as taste, color, and texture through a structured survey. The results indicated that transglutaminase has a greater impact on improving texture, especially in lamb and guinea pig, while the effects on taste and color were perceived as minimal by most respondents. These findings allow us to validate the use of this enzyme as an effective tool to innovate meat products. In the future, its application may benefit entrepreneurs, chefs and producers who wish to offer sustainable, higher quality and less wasteful options in the food industry.