Which enzyme is used in making baby foods

Being a parent is a very exciting feeling at first, but it is sometimes hard too. You have to deal with many changes in your everyday routine. Caring can be fun too but it is also a responsible job. Unfortunately for many reasons the mother is not able to breastfeed her child or can’t take care of her child's nutrition. Therefore there is no option other than to formula feed. 

After birth, the baby is so delicate and is in the underdevelopment stage, therefore the baby's body needs nutrients which promote all-over growth.  But like many other parts of the baby, the GI tract is also under development. The GI tract in a baby is responsible for the digestion and absorption of nutrients but it needs extra support. So enzymes play an important role in that. In this article, we will talk about which enzymes are used in making baby food. Before moving to it, we have to understand first what enzymes actually are and their role in the body.

Enzymes and Their Role in the Body?

An enzyme is a biological catalyst which speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction in a cell. It is almost a protein which is not destroyed during chemical reactions and is used by the body again and again. A cell has thousands of different enzymes in it and everyone is used for a specific reaction. All living things have enzymes in their bodies which are produced naturally, but they can also be manufactured. 

The enzyme consists of 1000s of amino acids which are linked in a specific way. The unique shapes are formed due to the fold of enzyme chains. These shapes are responsible for providing the enzyme with the characteristic chemical potential.

The metabolic process of the initial stage depends upon the enzymes which react with a molecule called a substrate. Substrates get converted into other molecules due to enzymes, the other distinct molecule is called products.

Enzymes play an important role in maintaining life processes therefore they are a key element in clinical diagnosis. Except in the class of ribozymes (RNA), the macromolecular components of all enzymes are made up of protein.

Enzymes also play an important role in aiding digestion which is the process of turning the food we eat into energy. There are various enzymes present in our Slavia, pancreas, intestine and stomach which break down fats, protein and carbohydrates and use these nutrients for growth and cell repair. 

They also help with:

• Breathing.
• Building muscle.
• Nerve function.
• Ridding our bodies of toxins.

Important Enzyme is used in making baby foods

Now you know what important role Enzymes play in our body. Therefore, many baby food companies use enzymes to enhance the flavour, solubility, and digestibility of nutrients in baby foods. They are also added to produce some functional ingredients. Some important enzymes used for baby boys are given below- 

Lipase- 

Lipase is a water-soluble enzyme which is used in baby foods because it helps your baby break down the food. The breakdown food is easy to digest and the body can easily absorb the important nutrients from it. To fortify baby foods, lipases are used to produce pure concentrates of Functional lipids such as omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and DHA has a unique role in infants' brain and eye development. This Lipase enzyme is also naturally produced in the pancreas but it can also be found in the digestive tracts of newborn babies. 

Protease 

Protein plays a crucial role in adults as well as babies. Protein helps in a child’s growth, maintenance and repair of the body, it also helps to maintain proper balance and pH of body fluids. But babies are not able to digest protein when they eat solid foods therefore the food is treated with protease enzyme. This type of food is easier for a baby's digestive system to digest because it predigests some of the protein. Babies easily get the essential amino acids from food because of the protease enzyme. 

Lactase

Lactose is a sugar which is present in milk and other dairy products. Lactose is most important for babies' health and development. 40% of babies' energy comes from lactose which helps babies to absorb calcium and iron. But the baby is not able to break the lactose into simple sugar therefore, lactase enzyme plays an important role in that. If there is a lack of lactase enzyme in the baby's body then lactose can’t be broken down and acts as a great food source for gut bacteria. It also leads to problems like lactose intolerance.

Conclusion: 

Due to an unhealthy lifestyle, an increase in pollution and other environmental factors, caring for a baby is getting tough day by day. Parents are so much worried about their child's growth and whether he\she is getting proper nutrition or not. But don’t worry, we have mentioned above the important Enzyme which should be there in baby foods. So whenever you visit any shop or market to buy baby foods, always check for these enzymes, whether they are present or not. Time flies too fast, so spend your maximum time with your baby.