The advantage and disadvantages of using this enzyme technology

THE ADVANTAGES OF ENZYMES

The use of enzymes frequently results in many benefits that cannot be obtained
with traditional chemical treatment. These often include higher product quality
and lower manufacturing cost, and less waste and reduced energy consumption.
More traditional chemical treatments are generally nonspecific, not always easily
controlled, and may create harsh conditions. Often they produce undesirable side
effects and/or waste disposal problems. The degree to which a desired technical
effect is achieved by an enzyme can be controlled through various means, such
as dose, temperature, and time. Because enzymes are catalysts, the amount
added to accomplish a reaction is relatively small. For example, an enzyme
preparation in most food uses is equal to 0.1% (or less) of the product. Enzymes
used in food processing are generally destroyed during subsequent processing
steps and not present in the final food product.
Cheeses
Rennet, an enzyme mixture from the stomach of calves and other ruminant
mammals, is a critical element in cheese making. Rennet has been the principle
ingredient facilitating the separation of the curd (cheese) from the whey for
thousands of years. Much has been learned about the functional attributes of
rennet and other cheese making enzymes since they were first employed. A
Enzyme Technical Association June 2001 Reprints permitted 8 purified form of the
major enzyme in rennet, chymosin, is produced microbially from genetically
modified microorganisms made to contain the gene for calf chymosin and is
commercially available today without the need for sacrificing young animals. This
chymosin is the same as that isolated directly from calves.
Environmental Benefit: Cheese makers are no longer dependent upon
enzymes recovered from slaughtered calves, kids and lambs for production of
rennet needed for most cheese making. Based on current demand for chymosin,
commercial needs for rennet could not be met from animal sources.
Consumer Benefit: Plentiful, consistently high quality enzyme (chymosin) is
available at an attractive price. This helps assure availability of excellent cheeses
at a reasonable cost. Since the enzyme is from a microbe and not a calf, people
who follow kosher and vegetarian eating practices can consume cheese.
Cheese flavors
The varied selections of cheeses enjoyed today are due in part to the action of
enzymes called lipases. The lipases contribute to the distinctive flavour
development during the ripening stage of production. Lipases are a class of
enzymes that act on the butterfat in cheese to produce flavours that are
characteristic of different types of cheese. Specific lipases are responsible for the
flavours we enjoy in cheeses ranging from the piquant flavour typical of Romano
and provolone cheeses to the distinct flavours of blue and Roquefort cheeses. +
Customer Benefit: Wide variety of flavourful, high quality cheeses.

Rennet Type
Animals(Calf)

Advantages
Traditional use.
Historical acceptance.
Flavour can vary slightly
(Farmhouse).

disadvantage
Can have slight
variations in
manufacture.
Animal origin.
Not suitable for
vegetarians.

FermentationProduced Chymosin

Very consistent in
manufacture.
Suitable for vegetarians.

Not GMO but GE

implications.

Microbial

Non-animal, non GE.

Suitable for vegetarians.
More Thermoliable
Mozzarella.

Perception may cause

bitterness.
Curd sets slightly softer.

Enzyme Technology
For thousands of years natural enzymes made by microorganisms have been used to
make products such as cheese, bread, wine, and beer. Enzymes are now used in a wide
range of industrial processes. The study of industrial enzymes and their uses is called
enzyme technology.

The advantages and disadvantages of using enzymes are directly related to their
properties:
Advantages

Disadvantages

They are specific in their action and are

therefore less likely to produce unwanted by
products

They are highly sensitive to changes in

physical and chemical conditions
surrounding them.
They are easily denatured by even a small
increase in temperature and are highly
susceptible to poisons and changes in pH.
Therefore, the conditions in which they work
must be tightly controlled.

They are biodegradable and therefore cause

less environmental pollution
They work in mild conditions, i.e. low
temperatures, neutral pH and normal
atmospheric pressure, and therefore are
energy saving

The enzyme substrate mixture must be

uncontaminated with other substances that
might affect the reaction.

Microbes are still the most common source of industrial enzymes. Microorganisms
produce enzymes inside their cells (intracellular enzymes) and may also secrete enzymes
for action outside the cell (extracellular enzymes). The microorganisms selected are
usually cultured in large fermentation chambers (known as fermenters see later) under

controlled conditions to maximise enzyme production. The microorganisms may have

specific genes introduced into their DNA through genetic engineering, so that they
produce enzymes naturally made by other organisms - this is explained in further detail
under the genetic engineering section of this unit.