Chapter 13 - Enzyme inhibitor in regulating beverage processing

Abstract

Enzyme inhibitors are commonly occurring organic compounds that can slow down or completely inhibit the rate of catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. Though enzymes hold diverse applications in the beverage industry, their effects are not always beneficial. Thus, regulating the undesirable impact of enzymes beyond certain limits for their optimal performance during industrial application becomes necessary activity. The process of enzyme inhibition depends on enzyme-substrate interaction in the presence of inhibitor molecules (organic, inorganic, metallic, or biochemical compound) inside the enzyme active site. An enzyme inhibitor can alter numerous side chains or a single amino acid needed in sustaining the activity of the catalyst. This chapter will summarize the overall role of enzyme inhibitors in beverages processing, types (natural and synthetic inhibitors), mechanisms of inhibition (controlling the rate of browning), enzyme inhibitor, and sources (reducing agents, antioxidants, acidulants, chelating mediators, metallic, or mixed inhibitors) with the current trends in inhibitor study for beverage applications.