Biocatalysts has strong technical knowledge in the analysis of flavour compounds produced by the action of lipases/esterases and proteases in food applications. Lipids (fats) are hydrolysed by lipases or esterases to produce free fatty acids; each of them having an impact on the overall flavour. After extraction and isolation of the free fatty acids from a dairy substrate (eg. enzyme modified cheese), we use gas chromatography (GC) to produce accurate free fatty acid profiles, enabling us to determine the most important fatty acid flavours present.

Proteins, including wheat gluten, soya, potato, pea, yeast and rice can be hydrolysed using specific proteases (endo- and/or exopeptidases) to improve the functional and nutritional properties of a protein thus adding value to the protein. Biocatalysts has developed a rapid screening method that allows us to assess our extensive toolbox of proteases to identify which proteases are most effective at hydrolysing different protein substrates.

This technology allows us to identify the most suitable protease(s) to use to achieve a specific degree of hydrolysis of a protein or to produce a protein hydrolysate with a particular molecular weight profile. 

Proteases are widely used to hydrolyse proteins to create different types of flavours for   various food applications e.g. yeast extracts and whey protein hydrolysates. Protein hydrolysates are analysed to ensure the correct flavour profile is achieved by analysing peptides and free amino acids using high performance liquid chromatography as well as using sensory analysis techniques. Electrophoresis methods (SDS-PAGE) and gel filtration (HPLC) are also routinely used to quantify the size of proteins and peptides in protein hydrolysates and to monitor the efficiency of different proteases in hydrolysing specific proteins. Rapid and accurate spectrophotometric assays are also used for determining the concentration of specific amino acids in protein hydrolysates, such as glutamic acid, which is important in the creation of umami-type flavours.