11.9 Commercial Production
257
useful in applications such as stain removal additives in detergents and dehairing of
hides for leather production (Jayapriya et al. 2014). The cost of production could be
reduced by using the crude extract without the expensive purification stage, although
this would require some compromise in terms of effectiveness and limited applications. Another alternative to the use of purified enzymes is the use of immobilized
algal cells with the enzyme present within the cells. These immobilized algae cells
could have even higher activity than the cells in the free form (Arabi et al. 2010).
Of all the enzymes obtainable from the aquatic environment, proteases are the
most widely used enzymes in industry. Their applications range from production
of detergents, food, pharmaceutics and silver recovery in X-ray to production of
leather (Jayapriya et al. 2014). Around 60% of enzymes produced in the industry
are proteases (Zhang and Kim 2010), thus making them very valuable resources.
Within this chapter, the several applications of enzymes from aquatic sources have
been discussed and much of these are indeed proteases. The use of these enzymes
cuts across several industries which depend on them; hence, they pose significance
to the economy.
Southeast Asia records around 300,000 tonnes of fish sauce production annually
since as far back as the early 1960s. The enzyme-assisted method of riddling in
caviar production has been commercialized for caviar production in some countries
like Canada, the USA and Australia (Kim et al. 2002). Companies that have commercialized enzyme production from marine sources include Biotec ASA in Norway,
Carnitech in Denmark, Biotec Maximal in Norway and Isnard-Lyraz in France.
The commercialization of enzyme production from aquatic wastes and byproducts results in less of these wastes being released into the environment and
causing adverse effects. The main limitations that have been highlighted in the commercialization of aquatic-sourced enzymes are the cost of production, the variability
of the enzymes from different aquatic organisms which limits large-scale production
and the availability of alternatives from terrestrial sources. While the other alternatives remain readily available, producers are less inclined to pursue extraction of
enzymes from the aquatic wastes. Therefore, further research is needed in developing
improved methods for commercial extraction of enzymes from aquatic sources.
In various industries, enzymes are used for a wide range of applications. They
catalyze biochemical processes such as the breakdown of starch into sugars for
production of alcohol and breakdown of proteins to produce peptides for cosmetics.
Many biochemical processes of commercial importance will either not occur at all
or occur too slowly to be commercially feasible.
The diverse nature of algae as polyphyletic organisms made up of thousands of
different species means there is potentially a wide spectrum of enzymes which can
be obtained from algae. Algae-sourced enzyme offers the advantage of being able to
grow the feedstock for enzyme production with increased productivity and without
the use of land space since algae grow at a much faster rate than terrestrial plants
and do not require land space as do terrestrial plants and animals. There is, however,
more demand for better enzymes in terms of stability, low cost and efficiency.
Microalgae in particular are attractive for enzyme production as they can be genetically modified toward a higher yield of specific enzymes. Having an alternative
257
useful in applications such as stain removal additives in detergents and dehairing of
hides for leather production (Jayapriya et al. 2014). The cost of production could be
reduced by using the crude extract without the expensive purification stage, although
this would require some compromise in terms of effectiveness and limited applications. Another alternative to the use of purified enzymes is the use of immobilized
algal cells with the enzyme present within the cells. These immobilized algae cells
could have even higher activity than the cells in the free form (Arabi et al. 2010).
Of all the enzymes obtainable from the aquatic environment, proteases are the
most widely used enzymes in industry. Their applications range from production
of detergents, food, pharmaceutics and silver recovery in X-ray to production of
leather (Jayapriya et al. 2014). Around 60% of enzymes produced in the industry
are proteases (Zhang and Kim 2010), thus making them very valuable resources.
Within this chapter, the several applications of enzymes from aquatic sources have
been discussed and much of these are indeed proteases. The use of these enzymes
cuts across several industries which depend on them; hence, they pose significance
to the economy.
Southeast Asia records around 300,000 tonnes of fish sauce production annually
since as far back as the early 1960s. The enzyme-assisted method of riddling in
caviar production has been commercialized for caviar production in some countries
like Canada, the USA and Australia (Kim et al. 2002). Companies that have commercialized enzyme production from marine sources include Biotec ASA in Norway,
Carnitech in Denmark, Biotec Maximal in Norway and Isnard-Lyraz in France.
The commercialization of enzyme production from aquatic wastes and byproducts results in less of these wastes being released into the environment and
causing adverse effects. The main limitations that have been highlighted in the commercialization of aquatic-sourced enzymes are the cost of production, the variability
of the enzymes from different aquatic organisms which limits large-scale production
and the availability of alternatives from terrestrial sources. While the other alternatives remain readily available, producers are less inclined to pursue extraction of
enzymes from the aquatic wastes. Therefore, further research is needed in developing
improved methods for commercial extraction of enzymes from aquatic sources.
In various industries, enzymes are used for a wide range of applications. They
catalyze biochemical processes such as the breakdown of starch into sugars for
production of alcohol and breakdown of proteins to produce peptides for cosmetics.
Many biochemical processes of commercial importance will either not occur at all
or occur too slowly to be commercially feasible.
The diverse nature of algae as polyphyletic organisms made up of thousands of
different species means there is potentially a wide spectrum of enzymes which can
be obtained from algae. Algae-sourced enzyme offers the advantage of being able to
grow the feedstock for enzyme production with increased productivity and without
the use of land space since algae grow at a much faster rate than terrestrial plants
and do not require land space as do terrestrial plants and animals. There is, however,
more demand for better enzymes in terms of stability, low cost and efficiency.
Microalgae in particular are attractive for enzyme production as they can be genetically modified toward a higher yield of specific enzymes. Having an alternative