Why use enzymes?
-Enzymes are biological catalysts that bring about or speed up reactions greatly; up to 1 billion times faster!!
-Enzymes are proteins; therefore, they are completely biodegradable. They are non-toxic to plants and animals in the environment. They are harmless if accidentally ingested by a child.
-Like other types of catalysts, an enzyme can complete its chemical reaction without being used up or destroyed, leaving the enzyme protein available for yet another reaction.
-Enzymes often result in food processing becoming faster, cheaper and easier.
Enzymes are used for various applications including:
Disadvantages of Using Enzymes:
Enzymes are naturally present in foods and their activity can lead to the deterioration of food quality. Enzymes present in animal foods, vegetables and fruit promote chemical reactions, such as ripening.
Chemical changes caused by enzymes affect quality or cause spoilage in frozen foods.
Enzymes are responsible for browning in fruits and other food products and also cause fading of color and loss of aroma.
Enzymes are sensitive to temperature, humidity, pH, and contamination. This subsequently affects the shelf-life quality of enzymes.
Where do enzymes come from?
Enzymes have been isolated from every type of living organism. They are present in all living cells, where they perform a vital function by controlling the metabolic processes whereby nutrients are converted into energy and fresh cell material.
What is a fermentor?
In general terms, a fermentor is something that, as its name would suggest, ferments; this is, however, not a simple process. The general idea behind the fermentor is to provide a stable and optimal environment for bacteria, in which they can reproduce and do whatever they do much faster due to the optimal conditions. These conditions often mean the right temperature and humidity. For example, in terms of bacteria used to ferment grapes and grape juice into wine, the grape-mush is left in huge vats that are kept at a more or less constant temperature. This allows the bacteria found naturally in the atmosphere, to function faster, resulting in increased wine productions at lower costs.
What Factors Affect the Efficiency of an enzyme?
There are some environmental factors that can make enzymes work faster or slower:
a) Temperature: Disrupts hydrogen bonds, alters protein shape (denature). Since the shape is no longer correct, the substrate doesn’t lock in, and the enzyme doesn’t function.
b) pH: hydrogen ion concentration disrupts bonds between amino acids, which again causes them to denature.
c). Substrate Concentration: Increased substrate concentration increases reaction rate until all enzymes are involved, then reactions level out
d) Enzyme Concentration: Increased enzyme concentration increases reaction rate until all substrate is used up, then reactions decrease.
Common Enzymes and Their Uses:
Alpha Amylase - Degrades starch into dextrin. Used in the manufacture of corn (glucose) syrup, alcohol fermentation , and in bakery products
Glucose Isomerase - Changes glucose into fructose. Used to make High Fructose Corn syrup (HFCS).
Rennin - The primary enzyme in rennet. Used to make cheese by breaking down and destabilizing the casein molecules.
Lipase - Used to enhance buttery flavors in oils by degrading some of the lipids.
Protease - Degrades proteins. Used to chillproof beer (remove the protein haze in cooled beer), tenderize meats, and to age cheese (Enzyme Modified Cheese EMC). It is also used in the baking industry to act as a dough conditioner.
Pectinase - Used in the fruit juice industry to break down pectin.
Cellulose - Also used in the fruit juice industry as a pressing aid to break down the cellulose in the fruit.
Catalase - Used to degrade hydrogen peroxide (H202). H202 is added to eggs and dairy products to aid in pasteurization, and is subsequently removed by adding catalase.
Glucose Oxidase - Used to degrade sugars, such as in dried egg whites. If the sugar would remain the dried egg whites, it would caramelize during the heat treatment to which the powdered eggs are subjected and give a brown color to the product.
Invertase - Splits the sucrose molecule into its component fructose and glucose. Used in the confectionery industry.
Lactase - Allows the body to digest lactose (milk sugar) by degrading it into its component sugars (glucose and galactose).
Trypsin - A primary mammalian protease. Used in some infant formulas to predigest casein.
Done By:
Neil Satra
