Abstract: In this study, neutral protease hydrolysis was used to extract taurine from oyster meat and the extraction process was optimized. On the basis of one-factor-at-a-time experiments, a three-variable, three-level Box-Behnken experimental design coupled with response surface analysis was employed to explore the effects of enzyme dosage, pH and temperature on the extraction efficiency of taurine. The optimum hydrolysis conditions for taurine extraction were enzyme dosage 1300 U/g fresh meat, pH 7.5 and hydrolysis temperature 48 ℃, and the resulting extraction yield of taurine was 2.724 mg/g fresh meat.

Key words: oyster, taurine, response surface methodology, enzymolysis