Raw Papaya

• Raw (un-ripened) papaya is the most common and preferred tenderizer for red meat (Lamb, Mutton, Goat)used in India. The papaya, also known as mamao, tree melon, or pawpaw, is the fruit of the tree Carica papaya.
• Green papaya fruit and the latex (milky sap like liquid) of the tree are both rich in an enzyme called papain, a protease (protein digesting enzyme), which is useful in tenderizing meat and other proteins.
• Papain is obtained by cutting the skin of the unripe but almost mature papaya and then collecting and drying the latex which flows from the cuts.
• The papain enzyme breaks down collagen present in the meat and thus make it more palatable for consumption.
• The enzyme is active when the pH factor is neutral (pH = 7) to slightly acid (pH = 6). The pH of most of the meats is neutral to slightly acid.
• Papain is used as clarifying agent in many food industry processes. It is a common ingredient in brewery and meat processing. It is also used in the tanning of leather, paper and adhesive industries and in sewage disposal etc.