Sensory Characteristics of Threadfin Bream (Nemipterus japonicus) Hydrolysate

ABSTRACT Threadfin bream (Nemipterus japonicus) spray-dried hydro-lysate was prepared using Alcalase at predetermined optimum hydrolysis conditions consisting of pH 8.5, 60°C, 2% enzyme, and 2 h hydrolysis. The hydrolysate was evaluated for its preferred concentration in rice porridge. Its acceptability was compared with sauces and enzyme-treated rice and vegetable hydrolysate. The preferred concentration in rice porridge was found to be 3% (w/v) and bitterness increased with concentration of hydrolysate. Threadfin bream hydrolysate was preferred as much as soy sauce; however, it received a lower score for taste compared to fish sauce. In terms of color, threadfin bream hydrolysate received significantly (p < 0.05) lower score than Flavorzyme and Alcalase treated rice hydrolysate and Vegetable hydrolysate. Low preference to the hydrolysate could probably be due to its greenish yellow color in which the common color for flavorants are brownish. For overall acceptability, no significant difference was observed between threadfin bream hydrolysate and Alcalase-treated rice hydrolysate but was significantly lower than vegetable hydrolysate and Flavorzyme-treated rice hydrolysate. The hydrolysis of threadfin bream with Alcalase produced hydrolysate having a combination of bitter, umami, salty, sweet and sour tastes with fishy flavor. Bitterness and umami were rated as having an intermediate intensity, salty as between weak and intermediate, and sour and sweet as weak. The three basic tastes for hydrolysate were bitter, umami and salty, with umami and bitterness being the determining tastes.