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markobri
Contributor III

Enzymes in Pineapple

Last night, I made Tacos al Pastor from a recipe I found on Epicurious.  I have made them before but this recipe was definately the best.  The dish calls for pineapple in the marinade. However, some of the reviews indicated that an enzyme unique to pineapple would make the meat mushy.  I have cooked with pineapple before and have not had any problems.  So, I threw caution to the wind and they tacos turned out great.

Does anyone know about the enzyme that is noted in the comments? What chemical reaction if any does it have on meat?

BTW, if you try this recipe, definately make the cilantro-onion relish and reserve some of the marinade in lieu of the Two-Chili Salsa.

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8 Replies
dtomchick
New Contributor

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

The enzyme is papain (also found in papaya, hence the name) and it is a relatively non-specific protease. Keeping the pineapple-meat mixture refrigerated during marination keeps the enzyme activity low, which perhaps accounts for your lack of "mushy meat." Note that the recipe calls for separate grilling of the pineapple from the meat. This achieves two goals: the pineapple and meat cook for different amounts of time, and the pineapple is not in contact with the meat when it is heated, so the papain doesn't have a chance to work on the meat before it is heat-inactivated by the grilling process.

Papain is inactivated in canned pineapple; this is the main reason most recipes that call for grilling pineapple slices with ham call for canned rather than fresh pineapple.

Diana

  • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Diana R. Tomchick

Associate Professor

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Department of Biochemistry

5323 Harry Hines Blvd.

Rm. ND10.214B

Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A.

Email: Diana.Tomchick@UTSouthwestern.edu

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sazerac2k
New Contributor II

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

Pineapples contain bromelian, a protease. Hence gelatin cannot be used with fresh pinepples.

Papain, also a protease is predominant in raw, green papaya, which is why papaya is added to some marinades for meat tenderizing.

Both papain and bromelain extracts are used in commercial meat tenderizers and in some digestive supplements

Likewise figs contain ficin and kiwi contains actinidin that are also proteolytic enzymes

See, for example

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papain

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromelain

---------------------

Subha R. Das

Carnegie Mellon University

http://www.chem.cmu.edu/faculty/profiles/das.html


Creator of The Kitchen Chemistry Sessions

See: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10308/1100338-34.stm

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markobri
Contributor III

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

Diana, Ah ha! Thanks for the tips about temperature and canned vs. fresh pineapple.

Mark O'Brien

Manager, ACS Communities, ACS Network

www.acs.org/network <http://www.acs.org/network>

https://communities.acs.org/people/markobri <https://communities.acs.org/people/markobri

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BryanBalazs
Contributor II

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

In my forays as an amateur chef, I've also run across some recipes, mostly from India, that call for a marinade of yogurt with the juice that comes along with canned pineapple (and some other spices, cardamom, etc.).  These are usually lamb dishes, and lamb can be a particularly tough cut of meat depending on the quality.  The lamb is usually marinated in the yogurt/pineapple mixture, but then the meat pieces are removed before cooking.  Makes sense, based on the previous posts!

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rogertan
New Contributor

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

canned pineapple juices or fruit chunks have been retorted (severe heating).  Enzymes are no longer active

yogurt may have some proteases secreted by the cultures in it.

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rogertan
New Contributor

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

Although nobody marinates their meat with cheese, cheeses contain proteases also, such as chymosin, trypsin and pepsin. These are also produced in the stomach and pancreas of the animal providing the milk.   Blue cheese and camembert contains these protein breaking enzymesm, plus lipases (fat breaking enzymes).

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yatsergioship
New Contributor III

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

I agree  with  you.

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jasbeetle
New Contributor II

Re: Enzymes in Pineapple

I must try this recipe!  Sounds amazing!

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