Chef has discovered an enzyme - The Sequel

[schneich]

hi,

after watching what can be done with enzymes i got a little curious about what else can be done with them. i found quite a lot of really nice applications of which one is a product called "peelzyme" which is used in the fruit industry to perfectly peel citrus fruits. i ordered myself a bottle and did a few experiments with it today. these are the results which consist of lime, orange and pink grapefruit:

[docsconz]

My goodness, those are beautiful photos! How does this enzyme effect the consistency of the fruit?

[docsconz]

How does one apply this enzyme and how does it work?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Had to find out more on "peelzymes" and came across this which was most helpful:

These appealing products have become possible thanks to enzymatic peeling for which Novo Nordisk Ferment in Switzerland has developed a range of preparations called Peelzym. This is how Peelzym works for citrus fruits. Firstly, the surface is scored or pierced to penetrate the albedo. This is the white pith just under the flavedo (colored surface layer) of the peel. The fruit is then `vacuum infused' with an aqueous solution containing Peelzym.  After an incubation period of just 10-20 minutes, the peel can be removed easily by hand. The main users of Peelzym today are in the catering business such as companies preparing airline meals.

scroll down on the Novozymes.com page... right side

The fruit in your pictures looks beautiful ... pith-free and rind-free

[docsconz]

I love those words "albedo" and "flavedo", especially the latter. I never heard them before.

[schneich]

thanks...

basically the piercing and vaccumthing didnt work for me... i tried it with my foodsaver with not soo good results. what i did was just peel the fruit as normal and then throw it into a 2% peelzym solution for 2h and the wash away the skinz under flowing cold water...

t.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Where did you order your bottle from, schneich?? I think it made the fruits look fantastic!

[schneich]

i ordered the stuff directly fomr novozymes in switzerland. the guy i talked to is Hans-Michael Obergföll ( HOB@novozymes.com ) he is actually very nice and might send you a bottle too ;-)

t.

[Patrick S]

Awesome. This enzyme would be perfect for preparing an orange tart. The last (and first) time I made an orange tart, I quickly learned that removing all traces of bitter pith is virtually impossible, and way too time-consuming to be worthwhile.

I didn't know the word albedo was also used to refer to a part of fruit. It is used in climatology to refer to the reflectivity of a surface.

[Smithy]

I too am surprised to see that use of the word "albedo"; it means the same in planetology as it does in climatology.

The appearance of the fruit is beautiful. What does the peelzyme do to the flavor?

[Patrick S]

I too am surprised to see that use of the word "albedo"; it means the same in planetology as it does in climatology.

The appearance of the fruit is beautiful.  What does the peelzyme do to the flavor?

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I found one research article that compared peelzym-peeled mandarin oranges to hand-peeled oranges with respect to 'sensory qualities,' and the peelzym segments were judged to be preferable. I would guess that by removing more of the "albedo," the taste is sweeter.

Liu et al, 2004. EFFECTS OF ENZYME-AIDED PEELING ON THE QUALITY OF LOCAL MANDARIN (CITRUS RETICULATA B.) SEGMENTS. Journal of Food Processing & Preservation 28 (5), 336-347.

[Tonyy13]

Great Pics!! As an amateur food photographer (and I do mean amateur), those are amazing shots...

This stuff sounds cool, wonder if they will send a school teacher a sample!!??

[fifi]

I have always puzzled about how they get those little mandarin orange segments in the can so perfect. I think I know now. I want some of that stuff.

[Chef Shogun]

That's almost eerily beautiful. I'm almost worried that those fruit slices would have risen up and taken over the world had you not eaten them, which I hope for the future of our civilization you did.

[akwa]

congratulations for innovative application of industrial food science. photos are beautiful

couldn't you make a flavored peelzyme solution (sirop?) therefore raw confiting the fruits cold by virtue of the pressure, and make instant fruit segment confit?

[fifi]

There appears to be a sales office in the US in North Carolina. This page can point you to other sales offices as well.

[chefdg]

O.K. so you peel it, soak it, and then do you still have to seperate the segments or does the entire sphere disolve?

[schneich]

once the globe has soaked enough to loose its skin, you wash the mushy stuff away. then pull apart the segments carefully and soak again for a few minutes since the sideskins arent connected to the "meat" they can be pulled quite easily now. one grapefruit takes about 2-3 minutes...

cheers

t.

[origamicrane]

wow that stuff is cool

just what i been looking for

but two questions

1. how much does this stuff cost to buy?

2. and is it hazardous?? i mean in concentration? inhalation etc?

[fifi]

. . . . .

2. and is it hazardous?? i mean in concentration? inhalation etc?

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I am guessing that it is some form of pectinase or cellulase, naturally occuring enzymes. It shouldn't be hazardous . . . unless you are a houseplant. (Come to think of it, I have some acquaintances that think like houseplants. )

[Patrick S]

Peelzym is indeed a pectinase (i.e. an enzyme that degrades pectin). I can't find any studies specifically testing Peelzym specifically for toxicity, there are studies testing the toxicity and mutagenicity of pectinase-rich enzyme solutions derived from the bacteria Aspergillis niger which find a lack of toxicity even at high doses.

ENZYMES DERIVED FROM ASPERGILLIS NIGER. WHO Food Additive Series, Review by International Programme on Chemical Safety.

[Hector]

Would Peelzym work with Pomegranates?

[fifi]

Now that is an excellent question, Hector. I have always peeled pomegranates under water so that the membranes float up. But it is still a pain.

[edsel]

thanks...

basically the piercing and vaccumthing didnt work for me... i tried it with my foodsaver with not soo good results. what i did was just peel the fruit as normal and then throw it into a 2% peelzym solution for 2h and the wash away the skinz under flowing cold water...

t.

←

I wonder if the "vacuum infused" method refers to industrial vacuum marination devices rather than vacuum packaging (as in Foodsaver). Your technique of peeling-and-soaking seems workable enough on a small scale.

Has anyone in the U.S. figured out how to order this stuff? I searched their web site and didn't see any way of ordering. I'll try contacting them directly.

[SiseFromm]

Those photos are great, but for those that aren't interested in the somewhat frightening enzymatic process, there is such thing as segmenting a citrus fruit. I think that was first quarter culinary school. Pith and segments can be completely and easily removed with a knife.