Abstract
The great potential of lipases is known since 1930 when the work of J. B. S. Haldane was published. After eighty-five years of studies and developments, are lipases still important biocatalysts? For answering this question the present work investigated the technological development of four important industrial sectors where lipases are applied: production of detergent formulations; organic synthesis, focusing on kinetic resolution, production of biodiesel, and production of food and feed products. The analysis was made based on research publications and patent applications, working as scientific and technological indicators, respectively. Their evolution, interaction, the major players of each sector and the main subject matters disclosed in patent documents were discussed. Applying the concept of technology life cycle, S-curves were built by plotting cumulative patent data over time to monitor the attractiveness of each technology for investment. The results lead to a conclusion that the use of lipases as biocatalysts is still a relevant topic for the industrial sector, but developments are still needed for lipase biocatalysis to reach its full potential, which are expected to be achieved within the third, and present, wave of biocatalysis.
Highlights
[6] we reformulate such question to “Are lipases still attractive?” Aiming at answering this question, the present study investigates the technological development of four strategic industrial sectors at different stages of development and with different technological levels
The use of enzymes for biocatalysis was long ago recognized by the industrial sector as interesting substitutes for the conventional chemical catalysts [13]
In the context of fine chemicals, the main application of enzymes as biocatalysts is in kinetic resolution to prepare enantiopure compounds, and lipases have been one of the best studied and most industrially applied enzymes [14]-[15]
Summary
“The possible substrates for lipase are to be numbered in millions”, wrote the eminent biochemist J. Lipases were firstly observed in the XIX century [2], and have kept researchers' attention since Such success lies in the characteristics of this class of enzymes. Lipases find several uses in food technology, such as in flavor development, baked foods, manufacturing of dairy products, production of butter and milk equivalents, processing of meat and fish, animal feed, and many other applications [7]. Another important use of these enzymes is as biocatalysts in the resolution of racemic mixtures for producing pure enantiomers for the pharmaceutical industry [4]. Cumulative patent data are used for analyzing the life cycle of such technologies and for technological forecasting
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