Invertase

Other names: Invertase, Beta-fructofuranosidase

Harm score: 2 (Derivatives of natural substances)

Invertase (also invertase) catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose (a common sugar) into fructose and glucose. It is found in a large number of organisms, including plants, animals, and simple organisms such as bacteria and yeast. The wide distribution of this enzyme is related to the fact that its substrate, sucrose, is a common sugar in nature. Invertase is important in the manufacture of food products, where it is used to produce invert sugar.

Invert malt, which is the product of sucrose transformed by invertase, is used to make chocolates, liqueurs and some baked goods. Invertase is also indispensable for honey production, where bees use this enzyme to convert nectar into honey. In addition to the food industry, invertase is also used in biotechnology, particularly in the production of bioethanol, where the ratio of fructose to glucose in the breakdown of sugars can affect the resulting efficiency of ethanol production.