Food enzymes from extreme environments: sources and bioprocessing

Extremozymes are a group of enzymes derived from extremophilic microorganisms that can thrive under extreme conditions, such as very low/high pH, temperature, pressure, and salinity. The entire proteome of extremophiles is well adapted to survival in unusual environments, and this characteristic makes extremozymes more favorable for processing at other-than-usual conditions as compared with typical mesophilic enzymes that would be denatured under extreme conditions. These enzymes therefore offer new opportunities for processing and biocatalysis in the food industry. This chapter focuses on the different sources and categories of enzymes expressed by extremophiles in environments such as hot springs, Antarctic seawater, saline soils, and hydrothermal vents. Methods of expression, purification, and characterization of these enzymes are discussed, together with their potential applications in food using the processing of edible oils as an example.