ABSTRACT
Some of the early applications of cellulase enzymes were developed for the agrofood area, including production of alcohol by fermentation following enzymatic saccharification of cellulosic material; improvement of malt wort filtration in brewing; maceration of plant tissues for aroma extraction and fruit juice production; increased machinability and extrusion of high natural fiber-containing food products; and improvement of wine making and olive oil production. Bioconversion of cellulose for energy production purposes turned out to have limited practical feasibility, given the slow kinetics of enzyme degradation of cellulosic material due to the largely crystalline nature of cellulose. Instead, and somewhat unexpectedly, cellulases met their first worldwide success in the textile industry and in industrial laundries, largely because their kinetic properties allow a controlled treatment of cellulosic fibers for product improvement.
