Following on from "From Concept to Prototype: What the Latest Trends Tell Us About Green Food Processing", we now explore one of the fastest-growing areas in precision fermentation: microbially produced enzymes.
By 2033, Grand View Research predicts the global enzyme market will be valued at $24.7 billion, growing at a CAGR of 6.6%[1]. Nearly one-third of this value is driven by the food and beverage industry[2].
Furthermore, research from Future Market Insights predicted that lipases would hold the largest market share of any enzyme class this year at 12.3%, and suggests that by 2035, these enzymes will be key players for niches in both functional and gourmet food. Multienzyme formulations were also predicted by Future Marker Insights to reach 9.8% this year, particularly for applications in functional foods and enhancing nutrition[3].
Before we look at how enzymes are shaping modern food production, let's briefly explain what enzymes are and why they are so critical.
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins that accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. These catalysts are produced naturally in:
- Microorganisms
- Plants
- Animals
Experts in industrial and food applications widely regard microbial enzyme production as the most scalable, sustainable, and ethical method[4].
As such, we specialize in microbial protein production to meet the growing demands of the food and ingredients sector.
Why use enzymes for food processing?
1. Improved end products for customers
Enzymes help improve the palatability, quality, nutritional content, and shelf life of food products.
A lesser-known benefit is enhanced digestibility, particularly for livestock. By including enzymes in animal feed, nutrients can be partially broken down, thereby improving digestion.
2. Environmental concerns
- Lower energy usage: Enzymes operate optimally at lower temperatures (typically <45°C), reducing energy and water use compared to chemical methods.
- Nutrient Efficiency: In livestock feed, enzymes can increase nutrient absorption from ~80% to nearer 100%[5], reducing food waste.
3. Commercial advantages
For companies, there are three main advantages in using enzymes for food processing:
- Higher yields - Enzymes help convert raw materials to end-products more efficiently due to their high specificity. Greater turnover from the same input means a higher return.
- Greater product quality - Specific desirable product properties can be modified. Hence, companies can increase what they charge for a more premium product.
- Extended shelf-life - Enzymes can modulate biochemical pathways that influence spoilage, such as inhibiting microbial growth[6], slowing the staling of baked goods[7], and improving cheese aging[8].
Top 3 example applications of enzymes for food processing
Using industry trends and anonymized insights from Isomerase's client projects, here are three high-growth areas for enzyme use in food.
1. Sustainable and alternative proteins
Over the last four decades, particularly since the launch of Quorn in 1985, consumer demand for animal-free protein sources has surged. Two of the largest drivers are the rise in ethical and sustainability awareness amongst our population.
Examples
- Proteases increase extraction yields by releasing desirable proteins from their cellular matrix (e.g., papain).
- Carbohydrases aid in plant cell wall breakdown, allowing for higher protein yields (e.g., amylase, cellulase, pectinases, etc).
2. Next-Gen Dairy
Food manufacturers have used engineered enzymes to enhance dairy products such as cheese, yogurts, and syrups for years, with usage rising. Yet the largest growth is in the development of products such as animal-free alternatives.
Examples
Rennet, a collection of enzymes that act on proteins in milk, is used by cheese makers to coagulant the protein casein[9, 10]. By producing one of the key enzymes involved in this process, chrymosin, microbially, the killing of calves as a natural source has almost been eradicated.
Several enzymes are also widely employed by manufacturers to improve dairy product quality:
- Proteases: cheese flavor, texture, and milk allergenicity[11].
- Lipases: enhance flavor in cheese, butter, margarine, and baked goods by breaking down fats[12].
- Lactases: lactose-free dairy products, as well as the creaminess and taste of frozen yogurt[13].
Additionally, several companies now specialise in the microbial production of dairy products themselves, using enzymes. However, although economies of scale often still make natural production more cost-effective, this is likely to change in the near future.
3. Beverages Beyond Beer
Esterases:
- Wet processing for coffee manufacturing.
Laccases
- Removes oxygen to extend the lifespan of wine and beer.
- Oxidising undesirable phenolic chemicals increases the half-life of beer.
Proteases
- Aid in preventing the development of haze in wine.
Pectinases
- Break down pectin in the grape cell wall allowing for extraction, clarification and filtration of wine to be enhanced alongside overall stability.
Mannanases
- Break down mannan in coffee beans to reduce viscosity during extraction, speed up filtration, increase yields and improve the stability of coffee extracts.
Contact us
In this article, we’ve highlighted just a fraction of the opportunities enzyme innovation brings to the food and ingredients space, including areas like plant-based proteins, sugar reduction, clean label formulations, and texture optimization. These are just some of the domains where enzymes are delivering measurable value, enabling more sustainable, functional, and consumer-friendly products.
Whether you're developing a new enzyme-based concept or refining an existing process, we’re here to help you translate scientific insight into real-world impact.
Let’s explore how we can support your innovation journey. Get in touch to start the conversation Contact us today to see how we can help.