WHAT IS AN ENZYME?

It is a protein with catalytic activity. An enzyme is a biological catalyst able to enormously accelerate a chemical reaction.
All enzymes are proteins, but not all proteins are enzymes.
Enzymes are produced by cells, but enzymes are not capable of reproduction.
Enzymes are, therefore, not “alive”, but are biologically active under certain conditions of pH, temperature, medium composition, etc.
Enzymes are active under relatively mild reaction conditions.
Enzymes are not infectious to individuals or polluting the environment.

Contrary to inorganic catalysts (i.e., heavy metals) enzymes are extremely specific, which means that each enzyme can break or form a single type of chemical bond in a given chemical compound or structure. Furthermore, enzyme-catalyzed reactions take place under mild conditions of temperature (30-70°), pH (between pH 4.5 and 9), pressure (atmospheric), etc., and are to be viewed as eco-compatible, as they do not generate residues or toxic by-products.
There are instances where enzymes can be employed to catalyze some reactions even under extreme temperatures (beyond 100°C, as is the case for high-temperature amylases ) or of pH (up to pH 12, such as with alkaline proteases used in detergent applications).

There are numerous applications of enzymes, in the fields of industrial chemistry and food processing, amongst which the following should be mentioned::

                                                                                                                               

Detergent :
proteases for the elimination of protein stains and to enhance the action of chemical surfactants; lipases to hydrolyze triglycerides present in vegetable or animal fats; amylases for the degradation of carbohydrates; cellulases for the defibrillation of fabrics made of cellulosic fibers in order to give cleaner surfaces to knits or garments, better dye brightness, softer hand feel, etc.

Textile: 
amylases for desizing; cellulases for biopolishing and for stonewashing; catalase for the elimination of hydrogen peroxide; proteases for silk and for wool; perossidase and laccase for dye oxidation.

Pulp & Paper :
xylanase for “bleach boosting” to decrease chlorine use in pulp bleaching; lipases for “pitch control”; amylases in preparation of starch coating; cellulase for drainage improvement and as an aid in de-inking; etc.

Leather :
proteases in beamhouse steps of skin and hides tanning; lipases for degreasing.

Baking products:
amylases and other polysaccharides-degrading enzymes; proteases for gluten modification.

Starch & alcohol:
Various amylases for the production of glucose and fructose syrups, and their derivatives of alcoholic fermentation. 

Wine making, Brewery, Olive Oil and Fruit Juices :
Several enzymes to degrade or modify natural polymers (e.g., glucans, pectins, proteins, hemicelluloses, etc.) to improve process efficiency and final product quality.

                                                                                                                               

Protein derivatives :
Various types of proteases to produce protein hydrolyzates used in food and animal feed.

Oils and fats :
lipases for the modification of triglycerides and in the production of soja emulsifiers.

Animal feed production:
Several enzymes for carbohydrate degradation (e.g., cellulases and hemicellulases) to improve digestibility and increase the conversion index of feeds for monogastric production animals, or to decrease the amount of inorganic phosphorous in pig manure (fitase).

Chemical, dietetic and pharmaceutical products : 
stereospecific synthesis of chemical compounds (pharmaceutical active principles and their intermediaries) or dietetic products (aspartame), diagnostics for clinical chemistry, etc.

Oil Drilling:
as “breaker technology” to specifically degrade natural polymers used as mud viscosifiers in oil well drilling.