Commercial Enzymes

• Commercial and economic uses of enzymes

  Many enzymes are used in industry
• Commercial uses of enzymes

  • Biological washing powders have enzymes for breaking down difficult to remove stains
  • Enzymes are thermostable and can work at a wide range of temperatures
  • Enzymes break down complex, large and insoluble stains into small soluble stains that dissolve in water
• Enzymes


  • Temperature, pH, enzyme concentration and inhibitors affect the action
• Thermostable


  Can work effectively at a wide range of temperatures
• Commercial uses of enzymes

  • Used in biological washing powders
  • Used in the food industry, e.g. amylases are used to break down starch into sweeter and more soluble sugars
• Many detergents (washing powders) contain both lipases and proteases - this is because some of the most difficult stains to remove are fats and proteins