Using Enzymes in Food Production to Improve Yield

Many food production processes use enzymes for different reasons. Enzymes play a key role in milk production, cheese making, baking, wine making, juice making, brewing, and alcohol production. Although all of these enzymes serve different specific goals, they all improve the production yield of the food process.

Enzymes improve yield in milk production and cheese making in different ways. Rennet, commonly used in cheese, helps with the coagulation process. Rennet includes several enzymes such as rennin and protease. Rennin and protease work together to cause curding and precipitation which separates the milk from the curds (Modern biotechnology in food). They break down the caseins which help keep milk in its liquid form (Flint). Lactase, another enzyme, allows for the production of lactose-free milk products through the process of hydrolysis. The purpose of catalases in dairy processes is to remove hydrogen peroxide (Modern biotechnology in food). All of these enzymes improve the yield of dairy production processes in many ways.

Baking, another area of food production, utilizes enzymes to improve production yield. Many enzymes in baking are used to breakdown different components in the bread. Alpha-amylases increases maltose production by breaking down starch, protease breaks down proteins, and pentosanase breaks down pentosan (Modern biotechnology in food). Certain enzymes used in baking improve yield by giving it a longer shelf life. The enzyme maltogen amylase increases the amount of time bread remains fresh (Flint). Adding glucose oxidase increases the stability of dough to improve production yield. Many of the baked good eaten every day are produced using enzymes.

Enzymes also improve and increase yields when used in wine and juice making. During these processes, a common enzyme known as pectinase helps increase the product yield and clarify the product (Modern biotechnology in food). This particular enzyme helps break down the wall of fruits it is used for; this extra degradation adds to the quality and yield. Enzymes used in wine and juice making benefit food production by improving the product itself and increasing the amount yielded.

Enzymes allow brewing and alcohol production processes to improve in production. Liquefaction is an important part of brewing, and several enzymes are used in brewing to aid this process (Modern biotechnology in food). Enzymes also help clarify final products in brewing which add to higher quality and improved yield. In brewing, enzymes aid in supplementing malt enzymes that already exist in the food production (Flint). Alcohol production finds help with the enzyme amyloglucosidase as it breaks down starch to turn it into sugar (Modern biotechnology in food). Enzymes improve production yield on many of the beverages we drink.

References:

Flint, Deyanda. "Uses of Enzymes in Food Production | eHow.com." eHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles | eHow.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2011. .

"Modern Biotechnology in Food: Applications of food biotechnology: enzymes (EUFIC)." The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) : Your guide to food safety & quality and health & nutrition for a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.. N.p., 4 Jan. 2011. Web. 2 Apr. 2011. .