Are enzymes used in washing up liquid?
There is not just one enzyme in laundry detergent today.
Actually, quite alot of effort goes into developing enzymes that
are appropriate for laundry.
Back in the 1970's when the first enzyme was added, it was a
type of enzyme called a protease. Proteases work to degrade protein
molecules. Because most hard to remove stains are biological in
nature, enzymes are a natural avenue to pursue in stain removal.
Today, enzymes that fit in the classes of amlyases (degrades
starch), lipases (degrades lipids), and enzymes that increase the
rate of perhydrolysis are added to laundry.
Recently, with pressure for cleaning companies to go green,
enzymatic cleaning solutions have show increased importance in the
marketplace. Enzymes are considered "greener" than many surfactants
because enzymes are of natural origins and consequently are
believed to biodegrade. Many of the surfactants added to cleaning
products are derived from petroleum and consequently viewed as
environentally unfriendly.
However, with the increase in enzyme usage. Allergic reactions
to proteases have been seen. Currently, many enzyme companies are
focusing their development efforts on making enzymes with
diminished allergenic response. Two companies with strong footholds
in enzymatic research and development are Genecor and Novozyme.