Abstract

Enzyme technology has been used in industrial applications since ancient Greece. The present industrial applications of enzymes are, however, the result of a rapid development seen primarily over the past four decades thanks, first of all, to the evolution of modern biotechnology. The result is a highly diversified market that is still growing both in terms of size and complexity.

The detergent industry is the largest user of industrial enzymes. Enzymes such as proteases, amylases, lipases, and cellulases are used to remove soilings, increase softness, and protect fabric. The starch industry uses a variety of enzymes, first of all of amylases, in the production of value-added products from starches. Enzymes also find use in the textile, leather, pulp and paper, and animal feed industries. Another important area is the food industry in which enzymes are used in the dairy, bakery, brewing, and protein modification industries.

The introduction of protein engineering and directed evolution has revolutionized the development of industrial enzymes and made it possible to tailor-make enzymes to display new activities and adapt to new process conditions enabling a further expansion of their use. Production of enzymes involves recombinant expression in selected host microorganisms, fermentation, recovery, and formulation.