Food-Info.net> Questions and Answers > Food ingredients > Enzymes

What are enzymes?

Enzymes are proteins with a special function. Enzymes enable certain chemical reactions in our body (but also in plants and animals) to take place. Enzymes work very specifically, usually more so than the chemical industry is able to do. Enzymes are widely used in the food industry. Apple juice, for instance, is clarified by enzymes that dissolve the cell membranes of the apple; also, many ingredients are made using enzymes. Natural enzymes play an important role in the ripening of fruits, the making of yoghurt from milk and the browning of food.