The Uses of Enzymes in Industry

Authors Avatar

Asim Bhatti, 12D                                                                                         -  -                                                                                       Biology Essay

The Uses of Enzymes in Industry

        An enzyme is a biological catalyst produced in cells and is capable of speeding up chemical reactions. They are large complex proteins and are highly specific.

Natural enzymes have long been used by a few industries, such as the leather industry and some areas of the food industry, but technological advances like genetic engineering have made it possible to produce a much wider range of enzymes in industrial amounts. Biotechnologists are constantly seeking ways in which to expand this resource and also to develop semi-synthetic enzymes for highly specific tasks.

The enzymes used are all produced using species of Bacillus.

        There are various uses of enzymes in industry. These include Agriculture, Baking, Brewing, Chemicals Manufacturing, Dairy, Detergents/Cleaners, Food and animal feed, Leather and fur goods, Pulp and Paper, Textiles, Water Treatment. I will now be specifically talking about some of the uses of enzymes in these different industries.

        Enzymes have many applications in modern food processing. Enzymes are rapidly becoming very important to the Baking Industry. Enzyme supplements are used in baking to make consistently high-quality products by enabling better dough handling, providing anti-staling properties, and allowing control over crumb texture and colour, taste, moisture, and volume.
The enzyme rennin is used to clot milk in cheese-making, and enzymes from yeast have long been used in the brewing and the baking industries. One specific use of enzymes in the food industry is its application in baby food-here the enzyme trypsin is used to pre-digest the baby food enabling easier digestion for the babies. Other uses include proteases in biscuit manufacture to lower the protein content of the flour and a variety of enzymes to make sweet syrups from starch.
        Most bread is made of wheat, which has naturally occurring enzymes that, when water is added, modify the starch, protein, and fibre the wheat is made of. The yeast that is added produces carbon dioxide from simple sugars, which makes the bread rise. However, the quality of wheat flour varies due to natural variation, the time of year it is picked, disparities in milling, and many other inconsistencies. Enzymes are now replacing chemical supplements that were used in the baking industry to account for these discrepancies.

Join now!

        The use of enzymes in detergents is now very common with over half of all detergents presently available containing enzymes.

Dirt comes in many forms and includes proteins, starches and lipids. In addition, clothes that have been starched must be freed of the starch. Using detergents in water at high temperatures and with vigorous mixing, it is possible to remove most types of dirt but the cost of heating the water is high and lengthy mixing or beating will shorten the life of clothing and other materials. The use of enzymes allows lower temperatures to be employed ...

This is a preview of the whole essay