Enzyme
Papain
Papain is a proteolytic enzyme derived from the papaya plant (Carica papaya). It is found in the leaves, latex, roots, and fruit of the papaya. The papaya is a large tree-like plant with a single stem growing from 5 to 20 meters tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk, and a fruit that is actually considered a berry. Papain was first isolated in 1873 by an Indian biochemist, GC Roy, who studied its use as a meat tenderizer. Papain is typically made by collecting the latex of the unripe papaya fruit, and then going through an extensive process of extraction, filtration and purification. Papaya leaves and fruit have a long history of medicinal use in Central America and the Caribbean. Papain is used in food, pharmaceutical, textile, and cosmetic industries because it is highly effective, generally well-tolerated by humans and animals, and enormously versatile with several types of proteases active in a wide range of conditions.
From Seed to You
We source our papain directly from our papaya plantation located in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. Burhanpur benefits from a tropical climate ideal for growing this versatile, nutrient-dense fruit year-around and ensures us a steady supply of high-quality papain.
We have deep expertise in papain. Our founder began the company as a papain company in the 1950s before expanding into other enzymes. Our skilled team has perfected the art of extracting and purifying papaya latex to maximize the potency and therapeutic benefits and consistently deliver a superior quality enzyme that meets the highest standards for food and pharmaceutical use.
Traditional Uses
Papain is not a single enzyme -- what we know as "papain" actually consists of multiple enzymes that break down proteins in different ways.
Papain (or the papaya it comes from) has been a part of traditional remedies for centuries. It has been used to support digestive health, immune health and regulation of the body's natural inflammatory response.
This multi-functional, versatile enzyme is actually used in many industries. For example, papain is commonly used as a meat tenderizer (it helps break down tough meat fibers, making the meat softer and more palatable), to make certain beers (it helps to get rid of cloudiness, making the beer clearer), and even in face cleansers (it helps exfoliate).*
Why Formulation Matters
Everyone knows that chocolate and peanut butter are great alone, but that together they are better than their parts. Papain is amazing, but even though our company makes it, we never sell it alone. Papain is best when carefully combined with other ingredients for specific purposes. Our expert formulator with over 40 years of experience in enzymes and probiotics put together formulations for specific purposes, knowing how each of their parts would interact with each other.
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Products with Papain
