Activity Changes of Several Enzymes during Pepper (<i>Piper nigrum</i> L.) Decortication by Fermentation Using <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> CICC10076 and Natural Water Retting

Abstract

The activity changes of pectinases, xylanase and cellulase during pepper (Piper nigrumL.) decortication by fermentation usingBacillus subtilisCICC10076 and natural water retting were investigated. The results showed that the activities of all the enzymes remained at much lower levels in the natural retting water than those in the fermentation broth of Bacillus subtilis CICC10076. The activities of xylanase and cellulase in both the retting water and fermentation broth remained at very low levels, which suggested that xylanase and cellulase play little role in pepper decortication. ForBacillus subtilisCICC10076, pectin esterase activities reached the peak at 36h, pectin lyase activities peaked at 12h and 54h, respectively. Polygalacturonase activities peaked at 12h first and increased rapidly again from 54h. It suggested that pectinases were the major enzymes for pepper decortication.