Enzymes

An enzyme is just a biological catalyst. It can only catalyze a certain set of reactions in a biological system, so it is very specific. For instance, the enzyme in your saliva, called amylase, is responsible for breaking down starch while you chew. If you have ever chewed a saltine cracker and felt it dissolve to mush in your mouth, you have just felt the enzyme at work. However, amylase only catalyzes the breakdown of starch. So, if you eat a big piece of meat, chances are the enzyme won't be able to start breaking that down. That's because enzymes are very specific in what they can and cannot catalyze. Enzymes, just like catalysts, reduce the activation energy by providing an alternate pathway to the same products.

In biological systems, special precautions must be taken to assure that the enzymes are at the correct temperature. Why is this? Well, enzymes are made up of lots of protein molecules. Think of an egg when you think of protein. As the temperature gets hotter, the egg starts to fry. Instead of being the clear, thick liquid, the egg has turned into a scrambled mess. The same thing happens to enzymes if the temperature is not quite right. Enzymes are used in food products as well. Some enzymes catalyze undesirable reactions, and others catalyze desirable reactions in foods. The food industry tries to inhibit, or slow down the effects of, the undesirable reactions by sometimes heating the food product to destroy the enzyme.

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