Food Hygienic Studies of Sulfite (III)

Effects of Sulphur Oxides on Microbial Hydrolytic Enzymes and Digestive Enzymes

Abstract

Effects of four food additives, sulfite, bisulfite, thiosulfate and metabisulfite, on the protease, amylase, acid- and alkaline-phosphomonoesterase activity of Takadiastase A, Asp. fumigatus, NAGARSE (Bacillus subtilis), Pepsin, Trypsin, pancreatic amylase, salivary amylase were studied. Salivary amylase markedly inhibited hydrolysis of soluble starch with pre-incubation by sulfite, bisulfite and metabisulfite, respectively, but not by thiosulfate. Pancreatic amylase was also inhibited by the same sulphur oxides.
Degree of inhibition by sulphur oxide was less than that by salivary amylase.
Measurement of amylase activity in the presence of a reducing agent such as sulphur oxides was established. Pepsin was weakly inhibited hydrolysis of casein with pre-incubation by sulfite, bisulfite, thiosulfate and metabisulfite, respectively.
Trypsin was also inhibited by thiosulfate and metabisulfite. Microbial hydrolytic enzymes of Takadiastase A, Asp. fumigatus and NAGARSE were not effected by sulphur oxides.