Abstract
This study aims to investigate the properties of the proteolytic enzyme protepsin and its impact on beef meat raw materials. The methods include histological studies to assess the effect of protepsin on meat, potentiometric measurement of pH, determination of water-binding capacity using the Grau-Hamm method. The independent parameters were pH level of 1.5; pH level of 2.2; temperature range for thermal action from 30°C to 50°C; hydrolysis time of 30 minutes. It was installed that the protepsin, an enzyme preparation, is active within a narrow pH range, optimizing its activity around pH 2.2. The study indicates that protepsin can increase the water-binding capacity to 69.73% compared to 64.37% without the enzyme, correlating with optimal pH levels (differences at p ≤ .05 were considered statistically significant). These findings support the use of protepsin in sausage production, where it can improve the overall quality of the final product.