Meat tissue digests having enhanced palatability for use in pet food

A method for preparing a meat tissue digest having enhanced palatability, comprising:

• a) providing a meat tissue from animal;
• b) contacting said meat tissue with at least one alkaline endopeptidase;
• c) allowing said alkaline endopeptidase to hydrolyze said meat tissue;
• d) thermally treating the thus obtained digest product to inactivate said alkaline endopeptidase;
• and
• e) obtaining said meat tissue digest having enhanced palatability,
• wherein:
• said alkaline endopeptidase is used in an amount (E) from about 0.01 to about 1.2% relative to the weight of the digest product obtained after step d);
• said hydrolysis in step c) is performed during a period of time (T) from about 0.25 to about 5.0 hours;
• and
• the digest product obtained after step d) has a degree of hydrolysis (DH) above 20%, said DH being defined by equation (1):
• DH=14.04+1.8×E+5.5×T−0.48×T2+4.97×E2+0.829×E×T.