Tag: Proteolytic activity

As a proteolytic enzyme, bromelain's ability to break down proteins has been known for centuries, with early uses documented in folk medicine. This potent enzyme, derived from the pineapple plant, does not denature proteins in the traditional sense, but rather performs a specific and highly effective process known as proteolysis. Unlike heat, which unfolds and randomizes protein structure, bromelain catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, cutting proteins into smaller polypeptides and amino acids.

Over 50% of the pineapple plant is often discarded as waste, but it contains valuable bromelain, whose potency is measured by the GDU method for bromelain. This standardized quality control assay is crucial for determining the enzyme's strength in supplements and other products, ensuring efficacy and consistency.

In its commercial, crystalline form, the enzyme papain is often inactive until treated with mild reducing agents. The key to understanding how do you activate papain lies in its molecular structure, which requires specific chemical conditions to free its catalytic site and unleash its protein-digesting abilities.