Insight into the correlation of taste substances and salty-umami taste from Monetaria moneta hydrolysates prepared using different proteases

To prepare dual-functional seasoning ingredients with a salty-umami taste, five proteases were applied to hydrolyze Monetaria moneta proteins, preparing enzymatic hydrolysates. Their taste compounds along with the salty-umami taste, were investigated. The results revealed that enzymatic hydrolysis facilitated the release of taste compounds from M. moneta. The whiteness and < 3 kDa peptides of enzymatic hydrolysates significantly increased. Moreover, flavorzyme and protamex, with high DHs, could thoroughly hydrolyze the proteins, generating the enzymatic hydrolysates abundant in taste compounds (e.g., amino acids, nucleotides) that synergistically provided a strong salty-umami taste. Saltiness and umami posed a strong positive correlation, with a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.90, resulting in the highest levels of equivalent salty intensity (ESI = 80.05 gNaCl/L) and equivalent umami concentration (EUC = 84.56 gMSG/100 g) in the flavorzyme-treated hydrolysate, followed by the protamex-treated hydrolysate. In summary, these findings offer novel insights into preparing dual-functional seasoning ingredients with a salty-umami taste, ideal for use in low-salt food production.