Microbial production of tannase: an enzyme with potential use in food industry

Tannase catalyses the hydrolysis of gallic acid esters and hydrolysable tannins. This enzyme is produced by plants and microorganisms and it is industrially used as catalysts in the manufacture of gallic acid. Also, it is potentially used in beverage and food processing. Two critical factors, production costs and insufficient knowledge of the basic characteristics, physicochemical properties, catalytic characteristics, regulation mechanisms and potential uses, limit the use of tannase at the industrial level. This work reviews the state of critical aspects related to the tannase, emphasizing aspects such as sources, substrates, metabolic regulation mechanisms, physicochemical properties, inhibitors, production, applications and potential uses. (C) 2004 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.