Use of enzymes in the food industry: a review

Abstract

Enzymes are biological catalysts that play a key role in the food industry, responsible for desirable and undesirable chemical reactions. These compounds can occur spontaneously in food products or even be incorporated on purpose. The main enzyme classes (oxidoreductase, transferase, hydrolase, lyase, isomerase, and ligase) and their subclasses can be obtained from several sources, presenting numerous applications in foods such as inhibition of microorganisms, insertion of aromas, improvement of physico-chemical properties, decreased candy crystallization, meat tenderization, antioxidants, indicators of heat treatment, and so on. Each enzyme acts effectively under specific conditions of pH, temperature, concentration, and water activity. Enzymatic immobilization techniques have been studied to minimize adverse conditions that enzymes are subjected to during food processing. Among the immobilization technique, the enzymes can be immobilized to the packages, being known as enzymatic active packages, the packages allow the enzymes to be migrated to the product or trapped, increasing the shelf life of the products, this technique being innovative both for the packaging market and for the enzyme market. Thus, the main enzymes and their applications in food were briefly discussed in this review article, as well as the main techniques of immobilization and insertion of these compounds in active packaging.

Role of Clay Substrate Molecular Interactions in Some Dairy Technology Applications

“…Transglutaminase enzymes were often used as crosslinking agents that modify the interaction with the impregnating media. For instance, crosslinking of gelatin-based films to reduce its hydrophilic interaction and, consequently, its solubility and biodegradability [84].…”

“…Here, also, among numerous works on clay-immobilized enzymes reported so far, only very few were intended for the food industry [83,84] and much less for dairy technology purposes [91,92]. Even if the immobilization procedures are well established for various clay materials, there exists a glaring lock of data on the acid/base properties that govern the dispersion of clay-supported enzymes in the aqueous media [93].…”

Microorganisms, Drying, and Preservation Processes in the Baking Industry

“…These enzyme classes can be used in food processing in different supply chains to alter raw food and materials and the final product to consumers, especially the ones produced from microorganisms since they are a great source of industrial enzymes. For example, in bread-making and sourdough processes, hydrolases (amylases, xylanases, lipases, peptidases, for instance) comprise an important role in biotransforming the flour and starch content and producing new compounds such as organic acids and nutrients and improving sensory and even healthy characteristics of the bread [7,[162][163][164].…”