Pectinase has a light yellow powder appearance and is known as one of the four enzyme preparations. In fact, pectinase does not specifically refer to a certain enzyme, but a general term for a class of enzymes that decompose pectin, including galacturalidase, pectin decomposition enzyme and pectinase.
Pectinase can break down pectin, disintegrate plant cell walls and intercellular layers, making it easy to squeeze juice, and pectin is broken down into soluble galacturonic acid, which also makes cloudy juice become clear. Pectinase is mainly found in higher plants and microorganisms, but is also found in some protozoa and insects. The main source of currently commercially available food grade pectinase is the metabolite of Aspergillus niger.
Pectinase plays a very important role in the production of fruit juices. Under normal circumstances, the fruit after the crushing of the juice contains pectin, cellulose and other solids, according to the size of the molecule, pectin plays the role of plant fibers, it will prevent or even stop the flow of liquid, so that the solid particles remain suspended, the juice is in a uniform turbid state. Therefore, the production of fruit juice must decompose the pectin and make it inactive in order to make the juice clear, and pectinase can play this role.
Pectinase acts on the glycosidic bond between D-galacturonic acid residues in pectin, which can break the pectin molecule, soften the pectin in the pulp tissue, and make the polymer galacturonic acid degrade the small molecules of galactolic acid and pectin acid. In addition, the polysaccharide chain of pectin will also be degraded, and this continuous degradation of pectin molecules will make the solids in the juice lose their support and settle down, thereby enhancing the clarification effect of the juice, improving and accelerating the filterability and filtration speed of the juice, and increasing the juice yield.
In addition to the production of fruit and vegetable juice and the clarification of fruit wine, pectinase can also be used to extract natural products, and the extracts produced by pectinase include ginkgo biloba extract, garlic oil concentrate, ginseng pulp and so on. In addition, pectinase also plays a very important role in the paper industry, the paper industry will be through pectinase and other enzymes to process the degradation of plant fiber raw materials in the pectin, hemicellulose and lignin, so that it is dispersed into to meet the different requirements of the paper industry bundle fiber or single fiber, in order to produce soft, uniform, elastic high-quality materials.
The application field of pectinase is very extensive, which brings convenience to people's lives.
This article was scientifically checked by Huang Shaohua, a senior teacher of the second middle school in Chaisang District, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province.
Source: Xinhua Net