Enzymes in Action

Question 1

What enzymes do biological washing powders contain?

Answer 1

• Amylase to digest carbohydrates
• Lipase to digest fat
• Protease to digest proteins

Question 2

What happens after treated with enzymes in biological washing powders?

Answer 2

Products of digestion are soluble and will wash out easily.

Question 3

What is sucrose broken down by?

Answer 3

Sucrase (invertase)

Question 4

What does sucrase convert sucrose into and why is this beneficial?

Answer 4

Converts it into fructose and glucose which are sweetere so less has to be used in food, lowering the cost and energy content.

Question 5

How are enzymes immobilised?

Answer 5

Using gel beads:

• Mixing the enzyme with alginate
• Dropping the mixture into a calcium chloride solution

Question 6

Why are immobilised enzymes useful in reactions?

Answer 6

• Mixture does not become contaminated with enzyme

- Can be used in continuous flow processing

Question 7

Why are people lactose intolerant?

Answer 7

They can’t produce the lactase enzyme so the bacteria in the gut ferments the lactose and causes wind and diarrhoea.

Question 8

How is milk treated for people with lactose intolerance?

Answer 8

1) Immobilised lactase is used to convert lactose in milk into glucose and galactose
2) Glucose and galactose can be absorbed from the milk with no side affects