Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

In this chapter the activity of microbial enzyme in daily life to industrial production are discussed. Since the dawn of mankind, enzymes have been used in cheese production and indirectly via yeasts and bacteria in food manufacturing. Owing to improved production technologies, engineered enzyme properties and new applications based industrial enzyme business is steadily growing. The major part of enzymes is produced with GRAS-status. Usually the production organism and often also the individual enzyme have been genetically engineered for maximal productivity and optimized enzyme properties. Isolated enzymes have found several applications in food, starch, detergents, textile, pulp, paper, lather and fine chemical industry. Enzymes are used in production of chirally pure amino acids and rare sugars. They are also used in production of fructose and penicillin derivatives as well as several other chemicals. Enzymes are now considered as a part of a rapidly growing biocatalyst industry also involving genetically enhanced living cells as chemical production factories.