Enzyme Activity

B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food Effects on Food Positive effects: Make food easier to eat – meat tenderizer Preserve food – change milk into cheese Improve flavor, quality, or appearance – add lactase to produce lactose-free dairy products. Negative effects: Enzymatic browning Spoilage B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food

B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food Make Food Easier to Eat Meat tenderizers, enzymes that can be added: during aging prior to cooking Enzymes break down tough protein fibers for a more tender product. B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food

B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food Preserve Food Converting milk into cheese increases shelf-life of milk. Rennin (an enzyme) is added to coagulate milk proteins. Some enzymes are also released by bacterial cultures to create unique flavors, textures, and colors. B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food

Improve flavor, quality, or appearance Amylases – baked goods Invertase – artificial honey and candy Lactase – lactose- free milk Pectic enzymes – fruit juices Protease – baked goods, meat Rennin -- cheese B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food

B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food Enzymatic Browning Reaction of oxygen and the enzyme (phenolase) Results in desirable and undesirable color and structure changes Desirable changes – browning of raisins, figs, dates Undesirable changes -- fruit becomes discolored, mushy, bruised B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food

Preventing Enzymatic Browning Prevent oxygen from combining with the enzyme phenolase Cold storage slows enzyme activity. Add preservatives, such as: sulfites, ascorbic acid, citric acid, and/or acetic acid B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food

B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food Spoilage Prolonged enzyme activity can cause food to spoil. Overripening of fruit Food processors control enzymatic activity by: replacing oxygen to slow action of oxidases B-3.03 -- Enzyme Activity in Food