- The first product, created by a restaurant chef, appeared on store shelves in Los Angeles in 1948. By 1953, its producers had hired a nutritionist to refine the product, and sales had reached $20 million annually. In addition to tenderizing tough cuts, cooking time shrank, boosting demand for grilling equipment.
- The original tenderizer paired an enzyme extracted from papaya with salt and sugar. Pineapple enzymes also tenderize. Other ingredients such as corn starch are added to keep compounds dry and stable.
- Tenderizer enzymes work only where they touch the meat on its surface. They denature protein and break down the muscle fibers, tissue and collagen. In the process, the texture, flavor and aroma of the meat can be affected.
- Marinades contain an acid such as vinegar and seasonings but require longer time to work than chemical tenderizers. Tenderizing tools pound or pierce thicker meats, physically breaking muscle fiber in the meat's interior as well as exterior.
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