Enzymes are biocatalysts produced by biological cells with catalytic capabilities. They are able to accelerate the rate of chemical reactions without changing the total energy change of the reaction.
Enzymes are biological catalysts that drive faster, cleaner, and more sustainable food processing. Key applications include:
Lactase: Breaks down lactose as food supplement for Lactose intolerance people and as processing aids for "lactose-free yogurt (hydrolysis at 5–10°C for 24 hours).
Amylase: Converts starch to sugars in brewing (mash optimization at 60–70°C).
Protease: Tenderizes meat (marination at 4°C for 2–4 hours) or clarifies juices (removes haze-forming proteins).
Lipase: Enhances cheese flavor (e.g., Parmesan aging) by releasing free fatty acids.
These reactions reduce energy use, eliminate chemical additives, and improve yield—e.g., amylase increases bread volume by 15% versus traditional methods.
Enzymes lose activity when their 3D structure unravels, typically due to:
High temperature: Most food enzymes deactivate above 60°C (except thermostable variants like Taq polymerase).
Extreme pH: Pepsin (stomach enzyme) works at pH 2 but fails in neutral conditions; amylase prefers pH 5–7.
Oxidants/heavy metals: Chlorine or mercury disrupts disulfide bonds critical for stability.
To prevent denaturation, store enzymes at 4°C (short-term) or -20°C (long-term) and avoid mixing with incompatible ingredients (e.g., protease + gelatin).
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