The Applications of Enzymes in Industry and Medicine

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About Enzymes




Enzymes are extracted from living organisms such as bacteria and moulds. They are biological catalysts capable of increasing efficiently the rate of a chemical reaction without using excessive energy, and remain unchanged once the reaction is complete. Minute quantities can accomplish large amounts of product at relatively low temperatures, for example approximately 30 g of pure crystalline pepsin can digest nearly 2 metric tons of egg white in a few hours. “Natural enzymes” are naturally present while “industrial enzymes” are extracted from bacteria or fungi and then added in specific quantities.


There are numerous applications of enzymes in industry, for example in food, beverage, textiles and detergent processes.


Use in Baking




The wheat flour used for bread has naturally occurring enzymes that modify the starch, protein and fibre of the flour when water is added. Yeast added to the mixture also has enzymes, which ferment the maltose over time, to make the dough rise. In bakeries, the quality of the wheat flour varies, as a consequence of natural variation, time of year or inconsistencies in milling. To improve consistency and efficiency, extra enzymes (like xylanase, -amylase, protease, glucose oxidase and lipase) are used as supplements, enabling better handling of the dough and the control of certain characteristics in the finished bread. The interaction between different enzymes is complex and the wrong mixture of enzymes can be detrimental, for example, too much enzyme usually results in the failure of the bread to rise properly. The use of enzymes in bread making illustrates their value in quality control and efficiency of production.


Use in Alcohol





In the alcohol industry, fermentation depends on the action of enzymes synthesised by the yeasts and bacteria used in the production process. Beer brewing essentially involves the yeast action on barley, maize, sorghum, hops or rice. The yeast cells convert simple sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. However most sugar present is in the complex polysaccharide form such as starch and cannot readily be used. So these nutrients are "released" by malting in which enzymes are released, degrading starch and protein to simple reducing sugars and amino acids. The traditional malting process is an expensive inefficient way of manufacturing enzymes. So nowadays industrial enzymes such as amylases, glucanases and proteases are added to unmalted barley to produce the same products that malting would produce by more controlled means. Use of enzymes in the beverage industry allow it to be more economic and have consistent quality.


Use in Fruit Juices





Enzymes are used in the processing of fruit juices to maximize the production of clear or cloudy juice. Nearly all fruits contain pectin. The presence of soluble pectin in squeezed juice causes cloudiness. The addition of pectin degrading enzymes (pectin methyl esterase, polygalacturonase and pectin lyase) at the pressing stage increases the amount of juice produced and can reduce cloudiness. The desired flavour and colour of citrus juices especially orange depends on the insoluble, cloudy materials of the pressed juice. The pectin component is manipulated requiring a balance between pectin methyl esterase, to promote cloudiness by increasing the pectin/calcium complex formation and polygalacturonase, to break cloudiness by depolymerisation of the pectin. The application of enzymes in these processes is cosmetic.


Use in Washing Powders




Principally protease digests on organic stains such as grass, blood, egg and human sweat and lipases are effective on stains resulting from fatty products and amylases are effective on removing starchy food deposits. Some powders contain cellulase to brighten colours and soften fabrics. Protease and amylase are also effective in dishwasher detergents, to remove food particles. These detergents are environmentally friendly with fewer bleaching agents and phosphates, allowing the enzymes to do more work and have beneficial effects on public and environmental health.


Use in the Textile Industry





Enzymes are used in the leather and the textile industries in finishing processes. Proteases help in the de-hairing of the animal hides and lipases are used for de-greasing. The correct application of a cellulase enzyme can give a smoother, glossier brighter fabric to cellulose fibres like cotton. This technique is known as bio-polishing. In the denim industry, cloth was traditionally stonewashed with pumice stones to fade the fabric. A small application of cellulase minimises damage to the garments and also to machinery. This technique is known as bio-stoning and can ensure greater fading without high abrasive damage to fabric and accessories (buttons, rivets). The use of enzymes in this area of industry illustrates their valuable technological contribution.

Enzymes are also used in Contact Lense solution and in Pet Toothpaste.


Use in Medicine




Most genetic diseases are a result of a particular enzyme deficiency. Similarly certain bacteria are more pathogenic because of an enzyme activity they have.



Uses of enzymes in medicine include:

• Analytical tests: Diabetics use strips of paper impregnated with glucose oxidase to monitor their blood sugar.

• The presence of enzymes where they should not be present can also help to diagnose disease. For example when the liver is diseased or damaged, enzymes leak into the bloodstream. Testing the blood for these enzymes can confirm liver damage.

• Therapeutic enzymes: Enzymes are sometimes used as medicines to replace enzyme deficiencies in patients like is the use of blood clotting factors to treat haemoplilia, or the opposite where proteases are used to degrade fibrin; to prevent the formation of dangerous blood clots. Nuclease is a possible therapy for cystic fibrosis, but it is not clear how commercialized and therapeutically successful this has been.

• Proteases are used to clean wounds and therefore accelerate the healing process.

• Drug manufacture: The chemical synthesis of complex drugs is often difficult and companies turn to enzymes to perform chemical conversions

• In a semi-therapeutic way; Enzymes are used to aid digestion, to supplement the natural amylase, lipase and protease produced by the pancreas. People with lactose intolerance lose the enzyme lactase. Lactase supplements help to avoid stomach upsets for these people.


To Conclude




Enzymes are used by industry and medicine because of their catalytic abilities, which ensure that throughout any reaction they remain unchanged. Enzymes are useful because they can be used in minimal quantities and keep costs down. In medicine, they are useful because they are specific, and so avoid side effects when used on a patient. Use of enzymes in industry and medicine is highly ethical, socially desirable and beneficial, economically efficient and represents an advance in modern technological processes.

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