Proteases na indústria de alimentos: uma revisão acerca dos tipos, características e aplicações

Abstract

Enzymes are biological catalysts that are widely used in the food and beverage industry. One of the most important groups of these catalysts are proteases, which account for approximately 60% of industrial enzymes today. Given the importance of this group of enzymes, the aim of this study was to review the literature on proteases, including the types, characteristics and applications of these enzymes in the food industry. The main proteases currently used in this industry were discussed: papain, bromelain, chymosin, actinidin, pepsin, proteases obtained from microorganisms and commercial proteases. In addition, some studies that bring new applications to these enzymes were discussed. The most notable applications of proteases in the food industry are in the dairy, meat and bakery sectors, which use various peptidases to carry out processes such as coagulating milk to obtain cheeses, tenderizing meats and reducing the gluten content in flours to improve the characteristics of the dough obtained.