What enzyme-modified proteins are able to do

Abstract

Enzymes are proteins specialized in the catalysis of chemical reactions, and they are applied in a wide variety of industrial sectors. In this scenario, proteases hydrolyze proteins, one of the first classes of enzymes used industrially, currently a 1.2 million dollars industry worldwide. Proteases are also present in all living organisms, playing a role in most metabolic processes. These enzymes can be isolated from various sources and can be applied to the production of different protein products due to their diverse hydrolytic capacities and biochemical properties. Proteolytic enzymes are used to obtain value-added products capable of improving human and animal health. This chapter focuses on sustainable protease production based on fermentation and its application in obtaining bioactive peptides from milk, hydrolyzed cricket flour, and fish feed.