Enzyme are miniature powerhouses which accelerate reactions.
Picture an industry converting basic raw materials into finished products….
Let’s not be too abstract.
Imagine a detergent company desiring to incorporate natural agents that break down dirt like nothing else.
Well, they have two choices; either rely on harsh synthetic chemicals or bank on nature to provide solutions.
Enzymes are part of the solutions nature gives us.
They are molecular machines that overwork to yield results as long as they are supplied with just the optimum conditions.
And to make matters juicy, they could be extracted from what we see as waste.
FRUIT & VEGETABLE WASTES
This article is short and meant to be to concise.
So I’ll dive into the matter straight up.
Some of the fruit wastes we throw away everyday have inherent value:
They contain extractable sugars, medicinal agents, antioxidants and enzymes.
However, these enzymes are not easy to get because we’ll need some chemical and biochemical knowledge.
But this is not a chemical class so I’ll stick to the core of the matter: enzymes and where they’re found.
Picture the pawpaw peels.
Doctors encourage us to consume pawpaw because it improves the gut.
Well, the real reason why pawpaw is kind to the tummy is due to an enzyme- papain.
This protein digesting enzyme is capable of braking up proteins in our bodies and that’s where the magic happens.
Some foods contain complex proteins that end up harming our tummies because they are too difficult to handle.
But throw in some papaya into your fruit dessert and you’ll have a sigh of relief.
All this is because of an enzyme.
Enzymes are useful both in pharmaceuticals and nutrition – an area also known as nutraceuticals.
But this is not the only realm they conquer.
DETERGENTS
Have you ever heard of your favourite detergent brand bragging about enzymes which easen the cleaning of dirt?
Well, they’re not bluffing because some enzymes like bromelain- obtained from pineapple waste- does exactly that.
Infact some detergent go to the lengths of throwing in handfuls of these natural microengines into our soap not only making it effective but also safe.
Because enzymes like bromelain digest a range of proteins, that pizza stain on the t-shirt is easily removed.
Contrast this with harsh bleaching agents and lab manufactured surfactants that whiten clothes and create bubbly foams but whose effects on our health are more of a mystery.
But enzymes not only rule in the cleaning waters, they have a say in the world of renewable energy.
BIOETHANOL
Bioethanol is a formidable biofuel made from starchy waste material like sugarcane bagasse, potato peels etc.
But this is not a straightforward process.
It heavily relies on enzymes to breakdown thigh cellulose and starchy material into glucose which is then fermented by yeast into ethanol.
And among the enzyme of interest here is amylase.
Amylase breakdown starch into glucose.
Interestingly, it can be derived from the same starchy agrowastes.
How so?
Well, if the right microorganisms are introduced to this waste, these miniature powerhorses (bacteria, fungi etc) will release amylase to digest the starch.
And in the process, we could recover the amylase enzyme for use.
IN CONCLUSION
Enzyme prospecting is not necessarily a lab thing.
It’s more of an environmental thing which could make use of what we discard as waste.
It has within it many opportunities.
How many are willing to dig in?
P.S. don’t worry about the nitty gritties of extraction.
AI can give you a step by step guide.
Only be interested and you’re game.
