Enzyme-Assisted Aqueous Extraction Processes

Abstract Cell wall degradation greatly improves the accessibility of solvent to both intracellular solutes and to those forming part of cell walls. Hydrolytic enzymes can be used either alone or in mixtures to selectively depolymerize and break specific cell wall components. The enzyme incubation can be performed simultaneously with the mixing stage in water-based extraction processes. The mild operation conditions favor the recovery of thermostable products and further processing of the solid fraction can be proposed in a biorefinery approach for the integral utilization of vegetal biomass. The potential of the enzyme-assisted extraction applied to components showing biological activities of interest for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical applications is overviewed.