Optimization of enzymatic protein hydrolysis conditions of Asiatic hard clam (Meretrix meretrix)

This study was aimed to optimise the Alcalase® enzymatic hydrolysis extraction of Asiatic hard clam (AHC) (Meretrix meretrix) protein hydrolysate in terms of hydrolysis time, hydrolysis temperature, hydrolysis pH, and concentration of enzyme. Protein hydrolysate produced from AHC (M. meretrix) meat was used to determine the optimum hydrolysis conditions. Hydrolysis of AHC meat was optimised using the Central Composite Design Response Surface Methodology (RSM) (CCD). The relationship between four parameters such as temperature (45 – 65°C), enzyme to substrate concentration (1 – 2%), hydrolysis time (60 – 180 mins), and pH (7.5 – 9.5) to the degree of hydrolysis was investigated. The optimum conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis of AHC meat to achieve the maximum degree of hydrolysis (DH) were observed at 65°C, enzyme to substrate concentration of 1%, hydrolysis time of 60 mins, and pH 7.5. The enzymatic protein hydrolysis of AHC meat was predicted using a two factors interaction (2FI) model. Under these optimum conditions, DH's predicted value was 97.41%, which was close to the experimental value (97.89%). The freeze-dried protein hydrolysate powder was characterized concerning the proximate composition. Proximate analysis revealed that the AHC meat contains 7.92±1.76% of moisture, 2.23±0.89% of crude fat, 1.98±0.82 of ash, and 10.53±0.04% of crude protein. While the Asiatic hard clam protein hydrolysate (AHCPH) composed 9.12±0.02% of moisture, 0.80±0.29% of crude fat, and 27.76±0.10% of ash. The protein hydrolysate produced also contained high protein content (50.09±0.88%) and may serve as a good protein source.