Effect of ʟ-O-phosphoserine on the dissociation of chicken meat actomyosin

As alternative food additives to replace NaCl or phosphates and improve the texture of meat products, our previous studies identified nucleoside monophosphates, such as inosine 5´-monophosphate and adenosine 5´-monophosphate, and other studies reported amino acids, such as arginine (Arg) and lysine (Lys). However, it remains unknown whether other amino acids are effective. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a series of L-amino acids, including ʟ-O -phosphoserine (p-Ser), on chicken actomyosin dissociation using SDS-PAGE. We demonstrated that p-Ser induced actomyosin dissociation as well as Arg and Lys. The other 17 amino acids were less effective. Analysis using p-Ser analogs indicated two crucial factors: a negatively charged phosphoester unit in the side chain and a carboxyl group at the α-carbon. These findings suggest that p-Ser, as well as Arg and Lys, may represent novel salt substitutes for the modification of texture profiles via actomyosin dissociation.