Protease-dependent effects of salmon milt hydrolysates on protein-network characteristics in fermented pork sausages: Balancing water retention and texture formation.

Arginine-rich salmon milt hydrolysates can enhance water retention in fermented meat, but whether this benefit supports textural integrity depends on hydrolysate type. This study investigated the effects of hydrolysates prepared with neutrase, papain, and trypsin on rheology, texture, water retention, microstructure, and volatile profiles of fermented pork sausages. All hydrolysates reduced ripening moisture loss and heating-induced cooking loss, but altered texture. Neu-H caused limited softening and retained 80.6% and 69.3% of control hardness and chewiness after cooking, respectively, whereas Pap-H and Try-H softened more despite higher moisture retention. Combined analyses associated Neu-H with a favorable balance between water retention and water-population distribution, limited protein-profile changes, and an apparently more continuous protein-fat matrix. Volatile profiling revealed treatment-dependent differences: Neu-H showed relatively low abundances of lipid oxidation-derived aldehydes, Pap-H higher abundances of several esters and pyrazines, and Try-H higher aldehyde abundances. Overall, sausage water retention and textural integrity varied with hydrolysate type.