Celebrating 90 years of fruit juice excellence

Back in 1934, we proudly introduced the world's first pectinase enzymes, marketed today as ROHAPECT®. This ground-breaking innovation revolutionised the fruit juice industry, and our enzymes remain the gold standard for effectiveness in the market even today.

Unlocking the full potential of fruits and vegetables: the role of pectinase enzymes

What are pectinase enzymes?

Pectinases are a group of enzymes that specialise in breaking down pectin, a complex natural substance that stabilises the cell walls of plant cells.

Found naturally in fruits, these enzymes play a crucial role in unlocking the flavours and juices trapped within fruits and vegetables.

Pectinase can be classified into three categories based on their mode of action on pectin:

  • Pectin esterase: This enzyme is responsible for the de-esterification of pectin.
  • Polygalacturonase: It breaks long pectin molecules into smaller fragments through hydrolysis. Often this enzyme is applied in combination with a pectin esterase for complete hydrolysis.
  • Pectin lyase: This form of pectinase degrades the pectin polymer through trans-elimination.

How do pectinase enzymes work?

Imagine pectin as a tough, tangled net holding together the juices and flavours inside fruits and veggies. Now, picture pectinase enzymes as tiny, specialized scissors that snip away at this net, unravelling it and setting the juices and flavours free.

The different types of pectinase enzymes each have their own way of cutting through the net. Once the net is broken enough, the juice and flavours can easily escape and be separated.

Why are pectinase enzymes important?

By breaking down pectin, these enzymes help release all the tasty juices and flavours locked inside fruits and veggies. This is particularly important in industrial food production, where pectinases are used to increase juice yield, improve extraction of colours and flavours, and clarify naturally cloudy juices.

What else to know?

To ensure pectinase enzymes work their best, controlling factors like temperature and pH levels is crucial. When conditions are optimal, these enzymes work their magic, making our food and products even better.

In essence, pectinase enzymes are the unsung heroes that unlock the hidden treasures within fruits and vegetables, enriching our culinary experiences and improving various industrial processes.

90 years of history - a reason to celebrate

Timeline

90 years of innovating together

We are further exploring innovative solutions for the fruit and vegetable industry. Stay tuned!

2024
2024

Launching new generation pectinase products

Our new generation pectinase products, ROHAPECT® LPHT​ and ROHAPECT® DA Plus were launched, further strengthening the industry. 

2023
2023

Increasing know-how in berry processing

In the spirit of continuous improvement, we were strengthening our product and applications know-how in berry processing​.

2019
2019

Entering fruit firming applications

New fruit firming applications and products were launched, serving industrial applications where targeted pectin modification is key.

2015
2015

Introducing a new portfolio for winemaking

ROHAVIN® for winemaking, our new brand for the wine industry​ was released.

2001
2001

State-of-the-art solutions for citrus applications

Our pioneering work continued. ROHAPECT® PTE 100 for various citrus applications was introduced. 

1999
1999

Innovating apple mashing

ROHAPECT® MA Plus​ was introduced to the market, becoming the leading solution for apple mashing.

1986
1986

Introducing our new product brand ROHAPECT®

Our product brand ROHAPECT® was introduced. Followed by continuous portfolio development and focus on modern biotechnology.

1986
1986

Inventing the first pectinase product

PECTINOL K®, our first ​pectinase product for the food industry, was proudly introduced to the world, acting as a pioneer in apple juice processing.

1934
1934

Foundation of Röhm & Haas - from leather to food industry innovations

The company Röhm & Haas was founded by Dr. Otto Röhm and Otto Haas. Later, it was renamed to Röhm Enzyme and subsequently sold and rebranded as AB Enzymes.

Originally, Röhm & Haas developed enzymatic agents for leather staining. Dr. Otto Röhm, as the first chemist to recognize the effectiveness of enzymes for the tanning of hides, played a pivotal role in this development. Building on this milestone, the company ventured into other applications such as apple juice processing, which led to the launch of the first enzyme product for the food industry.

1907
1907

Solutions for all kinds of fruits and vegetables – we've got you covered!

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AB Enzymes tailor-made pectic enzyme preparations are widely used in fruit and vegetable processing for many good reasons. They enable increased yield, shorter processing time and improved product quality. Enzymes refine, upgrade and enhance a wide range of industrial processes for a variety of finished products and contribute to reducing waste and production costs.

Join us on LinkedIn while we #CelebrateROHAPECT

As we gear up to #CelebrateROHAPECT, get ready for a whole lot of fascinating insights into the world of pectinase enzymes. We'll be sharing knowledge, fun facts, and maybe even a few surprises along the way! Join us now!

Have a question? Send us a message!

Have a question? Send us a message!