Importance of Origin

The origin and quality of enzyme raw materials directly influence the activity, stability, and reliability of the finished ingredient. DigeZyme® is produced by Sabinsa, a vertically integrated manufacturer with control over sourcing, processing, and quality verification throughout the supply chain.

Enzyme activity, expressed in standardized units, is the determining factor of potency. DigeZyme® enzymes are characterized and tested to confirm activity levels, ensuring that each batch delivers consistent performance in the digestive tract.

A variety of enzymes sources are used for supplementation, viz. animals (usually from pancreas of swine, calf, or hog), plants (e.g. pineapple, papaya), and microbial fermentations (from fungi or bacteria, often known as ‘plant-derived’). A majority of the digestive enzyme supplements currently available in the market are from animal sources. Hence, enzyme origin would be a great concern for a customer who is strictly vegan.

In Asia, non-animal-derived enzymes have traditionally been used extensively in the fermentation process to prepare culinary ingredients (for example, Aspergillus oryzae has been used to prepare soy sauce, tamari, and miso by fermenting soybeans). Moreover, since millennia, several of these enzymes have also been well-utilized in the areas of food production.

Microorganisms nowadays are being used as a major source of enzymes for supplements. As a result, microbial enzymes represent about 90% of all enzymes produced commercially for any purpose. Some of the best known sources of microbial enzymes used in supplements include species like Aspergillus, Rhizopus (fungal), Bacillus (bacterial), and Saccharomyces (yeast).

However, it is important to note that these microbe-derived enzymes, although contain no microbial residue as they would be thoroughly filtered using modern filtration technology leading to a clean and pure end-product, which consists strictly of enzymes.

We, at Sabinsa, have incorporated following microbial enzymes from bacterial and fungal origin in DigeZyme®, and they are produced via fermentation method.

Source of Digestive Enzymes

Enzymes Origin Source
α-Amylase Fungal Aspergillus oryzae
Lactase Fungal Aspergillus oryzae
Lipase Fungal Aspergillus oryzae
Cellulase Fungal Trichoderma longibrachiatum
(formerly known as
Trichoderma reesei)
Neutral Protease Bacterial Bacillus amyloliquefaciens