Enzymes in food

Enzymes are proteins that enhance chemical reactions. The process called catalysis and enzymes thus catalyze chemical reactions.

In 1850, Louis Pasteur proposed that fermentation of sugars into alcohol by yeast is catalyses by ‘ferments’.

Kuhne first used the term enzyme which comes from Greek word ‘in yeast’ to describe the activity already investigated by Louis Pasteur before.

There are three classes of enzymes: metabolic enzymes which run in human bodies, digestive enzymes which digest food and food enzymes from raw which start food digestion.

Food enzymes start food digestion and aid digestive enzymes. All foods contain the enzymes required to digest them.

Some enzymes are used as indicators in analysis methods: phosphate, for instance is used in the phosphatase test of pasteurization of milk. Enzymes are also used in food manufacturing.

Enzymes are proteinaceous in nature and their catalytic power depends upon the integrity of their structure as proteins.

They have molecular weights ranging from about 12,000 to over 1 million. Some enzymes consist only of protein, but most enzymes contain additional nonprotein components such as carbohydrate, lipids, metals, phosphates or some other organic moiety.

The best food sources of plant enzymes for humans are bananas, mangos, sprouts, papayas, avocados and pineapples.

The enzymes extracted from papaya and pineapple –papain and bromelain, respectively are proteolytic enzymes, which breakdown proteins.

Enzymes in food