Enzymes versus Denaturing?

[joej627]

Hey guys,

In fresh, frozen, wild-caught meats; is the biggest issue with "cooking" the destruction of living enzymes as in fresh fruits and vegetables OR the denaturing of proteins/fats?  Maybe it's both.  I have been warming up my salmon in hot water.  It tenderizes it and makes it a lot easier to digest.  The water temp never goes over 120F.  I wouldn't mind it a little hotter and I don't think it really affects the quality of the protein/fat but I didn't know if the enzymes destruction was an issue.

=)

[cherimoya_kid]

Iguana will tell you it is an awful, terrible thing to do. 

In reality, though, I would imagine going up to 125 or even 130 F for short periods of time will not make a huge difference.  It might be an interesting experiment.

[TylerDurden]

Enzymes start getting denatured after 40°C.  Basically, it all depends on whether you don't mind putting extra pressure on your pancreas and thus aging that organ more quickly. I'm sure there will be no immediately apparent issues right now, but over years....


I am curious to know at what temperature  the heat-created toxins start appearing.

[eveheart]

It tenderizes it and makes it a lot easier to digest.

Since most of the hazards of eating denatured proteins result in slow damage to our bodies, I take it on faith to eat meat raw. However, I want to comment on your statement about warming making it "a lot easier to digest" some foods... I avoid foods that don't digest well, the principle being that, if my body does not want to digest a food, it must not be the right food for me. If poor digestion occurs with a certain food, I avoid it. If poor digestion occurs with all foods, that seems like all the more reason to heal your digestive system with raw meats. Other than this comment, I don't think that warming food is as damaging to the food or the body as heating it to death.

[joej627]

Thanks all.  Part of my question though is whether the enzymes are STILL PRESENT in raw frozen meat?  Thanks.

[eveheart]

Thanks all.  Part of my question though is whether the enzymes are STILL PRESENT in raw frozen meat?  Thanks.

Yes, enzymes (and other things) are still active in frozen meat, which is why you cannot keep frozen foods forever - the processes of decomposition continue at a slower rate.

[aLptHW4k4y]

Yes, enzymes (and other things) are still active in frozen meat...

Do you know which enzymes are these?

edit: I found one source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814697000046

[eveheart]

Do you know which enzymes are these?

I was generalizing, and I was thinking not only of food preservation by freezing, but of cryogenic preservation of things like blood bank products, which can be frozen and unfrozen without destroying the "life" of the blood.

[TylerDurden]

Thanks all.  Part of my question though is whether the enzymes are STILL PRESENT in raw frozen meat?  Thanks.

I've heard an unsubstantiated claim that enzymes in frozen meat  gradually get destroyed  until they are completely destroyed after c. 10 weeks. Aajonus claims that 25% of enzymes get destroyed by freezing. Conventionla, mainstream info is very hard to get online re enzymes and freezing but what little I read was that , at the very least, enzymes do get harmed at least a little by freezing.