Title:Enzymatic Transformations in Food Chemistry
VOLUME: 21 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Marco Filice, Caio C. Aragon, Cesar Mateo and Jose M. Palomo
Affiliation:Departamento de Biocatálisis, Instituto de Catálisis (CSIC), Marie Curie 2, Cantoblanco, Campus UAM, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
Keywords:Biocatalysis, food chemistry, oligosaccharides, prebiotics, omega 3 fatty acids, flavonoids.
Abstract:The use of enzymes in food processing represents a historically well-established approach that gets its
deepest roots in thousands of years BC. In fact, even in an unconscious way, the mankind always applied enzyme-
based bioprocesses for example in beer brewing, bread baking, and cheese and wine making. Nevertheless,
throughout the centuries, process improvement or design and implementation of novel approaches has been consistently
performed, and especially in recent years, significant advances in protein engineering and biocatalyst design
have been achieved and applied in food sector. Consequently, an updated overview regarding the applications
of enzymes in the food sector and of progresses made, namely, within the scope of obtainment of more efficient
biocatalysts through structural modification, protein engineering and immobilization of enzymes will be
provided. The main scope of targeted improvements deal with the technological aspects related to the most representative
strategies to achieve enzymes with enhanced thermal and operational stability, improved specific activity,
modification of pH-activity profiles, and increased product specificity, among others.
