Effect of ensiling and organic solvents treatment on proteolytic enzymes of layer chicken intestine

Effect of ensiling and organic solvents on the
protein extractability and on the activities of the proteolytic
enzymes of layer chicken intestine was evaluated. The protein
content of water extract of layer chicken intestine was
2.45 mg/ml. Highest proteolytic activity (26.3 units) was
observed at pH 10.6 and lowest at pH 6.8 (7.2 units). Higher
acidic proteolytic activities were observed at pH 2.4, pH
2.8 and at pH 5. Acid ensiling resulted in 65.6% reduction
in acidic protease activity compared to 57.4% reduction
by fermentation ensiling. Neutral and alkaline protease
activities were also reduced up to a maximum of 41.8%
and 46.5%, respectively. A ratio of 1:1.5 of cold acetone
to intestine homogenate was found best for enhancing the
neutral and alkaline protease activity. The study revealed
that layer chicken intestine is a rich source of proteases
especially of neutral and alkaline proteases, which could
be harvested for commercial purposes and both acid and
fermentation ensiling of layer chicken intestine resulted
in reduction of protein extractability and enzyme activity.
Treatment with acetone almost doubled the activities of
neutral and alkaline proteases compared to initial values in
water extract of fresh intestines.