Abstract
In the past 20 years, circumstances concerning detergents have greatly changed and enzymes have become an important component of detergents. The percentage of detergents containing enzymes in Western Europe, the United States, and in Japan is 85, 80, and almost 100, respectively. Prior to the introduction of the compact detergent incorporating alkaline cellulase in 1987, the use of enzymes was limited primarily to one class of enzyme, namely proteases. Since then, lipase, amylase and mannanase have also come into use. Today, it is common to include one or more enzymes with protease. Enzymes provide not only effective removal of stains/dirt but also the anti-redeposition effect which benefits the whiteness maintenance of fabrics.
Together with the search for enzymes that offer new benefits, the improvements of current ones are being actively advanced using modern biotechnology. In the past, oxidation stable enzymes using protein engineering and a low-temperature enzyme using directed molecular evolution were created and put in practical use. New enzymes that have fabric care, bleaching and anti-microbial benefits are attracting attention. Future environmentally friendly detergents will contain even more enzymes and more classes of enzymes.
