ENZYMATIC

BROWNING
 BROWNING REACTION

▪ Enzymatic Phenol Oxidation and Non-Enzymatic

▪ Occurring during food processing and storage

▪ Implication in food stability and technology,

nutrition and health

▪ Browning is not always an undesirable reaction

▪ The brown color of tea, coffee and cocoa is
developed by PPO enzymatic browning during
product processing
 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF
ENZYMATIC BROWNING

▪ Enzymatic browning affects fruits, vegetables and seafoods.

▪ Catalysed by the enzyme polyphenol oxidase:

-Phenoloxidase
-Phenolase

-Monophenol oxidase

-Diphenol oxidase
-Tyrosinase
▪ PPO catalysed the oxidation of phenolic constituents to quinones, then
polymerise to coloured melanoidins

▪ The amino acid tyrosine contains a single phenolic ring that may be
oxidised by the action of PPOs to form o-quinone

▪ Tyrosinase or monophenol oxidase enzymes molecules react on phenol

molecule (the benzene ring contains a single hydroxyl (-OH) substituent)
to produce o-diphenol

▪ o-diphenol (catechol): Phenol molecules containing two hydroxyl

substituents - oxidized by cathecol oxidase (o-diphenol:oxygen
oxidoreductase) to o-quinones.

▪ Rapid polymerisation of o-quinones produce black, brown (melanoidin)

or red pigments (polyphenol) - the cause of fruit browning.
O-diphenol / Catechol
ENZYMATIC BROWNING

▪ Polyphenol oxidase catalyses the initial step in the

polymerization of phenolics to produce quinones, which
undergo further polymerization to yield dark, insoluble
polymers referred to as melanins.

▪ These melanins form barriers and have antimicrobia/

antifungal properties which prevent the spread of infection or
bruising in plant tissues.

▪ Research describing the antibacterial, anticancer and

antioxidant nature of melanins has triggered considerable
interest in enzymatic browning
Oxidation

 Polyphenoloxidase converts the polyphenol to an O-quinone

(highly reactive compounds).
 Polymerization

▪ Polymerisation of O-quinones - by hydroxylation to corresponding

hydroxyquinones.

▪ O-quinones undergo spontaneous polymerization to produce high-

molecular- weight compounds or brown pigments (melanins).

▪ Melanins react with amino acids and proteins → enhancement of

the brown colour produced.
Overall Reaction for Enzymatic Browning
 CONTROL OF BROWNING

▪ Enzymatic browning does not occur in intact plant cells -

phenolic compounds (in cell vacuoles) are separated from
the polyphenol oxidase (in the cytoplasm).

▪ Tissue is damaged by slicing, cutting or pulping → formation

of brown pigments occurs.

▪ Organoleptic and biochemical characteristics of fruits and

vegetables - altered by pigment formation.
CONTROL OF BROWNING

 Rate of enzymatic browning in fruit and vegetables governed

by:
 active polyphenol oxidase content of the tissues
 phenolic content of the tissue
 pH
 temperature
 oxygen availability within the tissue
 CONTROL OF BROWNING

▪ Techniques: Attempt to eliminate one or more of the essential

components (oxygen, enzyme, copper or substrate) from the
reaction.

▪ Elimination of oxygen from the cut surface of fruits or vegetables -

greatly retards the browning reaction.
▪ Browning occurs rapidly upon exposure to oxygen.
▪ Exclusion of oxygen is possible by immersion in water, syrup, brine,
or by vacuum treatment.
CONTROL OF BROWNING

▪ Inactivation of the polyphenol oxidases by heat treatments

▪ Eg: Steam blanching - control of browning in fruits and

vegetables to be canned or frozen.

▪ Not practically applicable in the storage of fresh produce

▪ Chemical modification of phenolic substrates

▪ Polyphenol oxidase catalyses the oxidation of phenolic

substrates (Eg: caffeic acid, protocatechuic acid,
chlorogenic acid, and tyrosine)

▪ Modification of phenolic substrates → prevent oxidation.

CONTROL OF BROWNING

▪ Other techniques to prevent enzymatic browning:

▪ Alternatives to heat treatment and chemical treatments with

associate health risks associated with certain

▪ Eg:

▪ Use of killer enzymes - naturally occurring enzyme inhibitors

▪ Ionizing radiation
▪ Review of processing technologies