photo of emoticon artwork

The worldwide history of enzyme development (1)

You need to know what an enzyme is.

You must have heard of enzymes. For example, there is a washing powder called alcohol washing powder. There is a drug called compound enzyme. There is no mystery about enzymes. When we eat steamed buns, we feel that the more we chew, the sweeter it is because an enzyme in our saliva can break down starch into sugar. Why do cattle and sheep grow up by eating grass? Why can’t pigs work? It’s because there are a lot of microorganisms that can produce cellulase in the stomachs of cattle and sheep. Through repeated chewing, commonly known as “Niu Dao Mo” and gastrointestinal peristalsis, the cellulose can finally be converted into glucose, which some animals can directly use. There are very few such microorganisms in the stomach of pigs, and there is no enzyme to decompose cellulose, so they will not grow up if they eat grass. The human stomach cannot digest cellulose. It is beneficial for people to take a small amount of cellulose, not because it has nutritional value, but because it can promote gastrointestinal motility, help digestion, facilitate excretion, and benefit gastrointestinal health.

crop person holding plate with cookies in plastic bags

Application examples of enzymes in food preservation

Glucose oxidase

Under aerobic conditions, glucose oxidase catalyzes the oxidative denaturation of glucose and consumes an oxygen molecule in the reaction. Therefore, it can be widely used as a glucose removal agent and deoxidizer in food preservation. In addition, it can also be applied to dehydrated vegetables, meat, and shrimp food to prevent browning reactions caused by glucose.

Translate »