The first enzyme-containing detergent was introduced to the mass market in 1913. Röhm & Haas in Germany added trypsin extracted from pig pancreas to their detergent Burnus and manufactured the first enzymatic detergent in the world.
Detergent mechanism based on enzymes
From an enzyme point of view, detergents on the international market contain principal ingredients that operate by almost identical detergency mechanisms; here at Millennium Enzymes, scientists are pushing boundaries to provide sustainable enzyme solution to our global partners, products such as alkaline proteases, amylases, or lipases are being used in heavy duty detergents hydrolyze and solubilize substrate soil attached to fabrics or hard surfaces. Cellulases clean by hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds which removes particulate soils attached to cotton microfibers. Key effects of cellulases are to soften and improve the color brightness of worn textile surfaces. Surfactants lower the surface tension at interfaces and enhance the repulsive force between the original soil, enzymatically degraded soil, and the fabric. Builders act to chelate, precipitate or ion-exchange calcium and magnesium salts, to provide alkalinity, to prevent soil redisposition, to provide buffering capacity, and to inhibit corrosion.
Single-enzyme solutions
- Proteases
Proteases are the most widely used enzymes. Millennium Enzymes has developed a well-established protease which can remove protein stains such as grass, blood, egg, and human sweat through proteolysis. In ADD, proteases secure the removal of proteinaceous food films, which are a particular problem with glassware and cutlery. Serine proteases are the most important group for detergent applications.
- Amylases
Native starch is only slowly degraded by α-amylases. Gelatinization and swelling are needed to make the starch susceptible to enzymatic breakdown. For most foods, various degrees of gelatinization result from cooking. Therefore, in detergents for laundry and automatic dishwashing, amylases facilitate the removal of starch-containing stains, e.g., pasta, potato, gravy, chocolate, and baby food. Amylases also prevent swollen starch from adhering to the surface of laundry and dishes that may otherwise act as a glue for particulate soiling. Complexes or reaction products between protein, starch, and/or fat are usually found in prepared foods. In such cases, enzyme synergy effects make it possible to remove soil even more efficiently than with single enzyme systems.
- Cellulases
Cellulases cleave β-1,4-glucosidic bonds in cellulose and operate directly on the natural cotton fibers or cotton/flax blends and on the cellulose portion in synthetic fibers. Millennium Enzyme Cellulases could be applied in detergents to make cotton fabrics regain and maintain clear colors, a smooth surface, and softness, our product provide these effects by shaving off the fuzz and pills of cotton fibrils that are generated on the fabric by normal wear and washing.
- Lipases
Because of their strong hydrophobicity, fats and oils are difficult to remove from laundry at low temperatures. Millennium Enzymes’ lipase, hydrolyze triglyceride to more hydrophilic mono- and diglycerides, free fatty acids, and glycerol. These hydrolysis products are all soluble in alkaline conditions. In laundering, the effects of lipases are seen only after several wash cycles.
- Mannanase
Millennium Enzyme Mannanase can remove guar and locust bean gum stains left behind by processed foods and personal care products. Mannanase enzymes help break these stains down by cutting mannan molecules into tiny sugars that could be dissolved in water. Having Mannanase in the detergent can broaden the spectrum of stains which a household product can remove.
- Pectate lyase
Millennium Enzymes’ Pectate lyases remove stains containing pectin by cutting pectin molecules into tiny pieces which could be easily washed by water. Pectate lyases are essential for top notch detergent brands as they need to keep pace with the global trend for diets that are high in fruit and vegetables.
Multi-enzyme solutions
Multi-enzyme solutions contain diverse set of mixtures of single enzymes; such approach will simplify manufacturing, decrease supply chain risks and increase efficiency of manufacturing practice. Recent investigations show that multi-enzyme systems may replace up to 25% of a laundry detergent’s surfactant system without compromising the cleaning effect. This leads to a more sustainable detergent that allows cleaning at a low wash temperature.
Millennium Enzymes developed multiple cocktail enzyme solutions, following products are prime examples:
- 4 Enzymes Granule Cocktail
- Protease
- Amylase
- Cellulase
- Lipase
- 6 Enzymes Liquid Cocktail
- Protease
- Amylase
- Cellulase
- Lipase
- Pectate lyase
- Mannanase
The cocktail products will serve partners as one stop shop for their enzyme solution needs.
Please do not hesitate to contact Millennium Enzymes sales and business development team who can provide a tailored solution based on your needs.