Interaction of polyphenol oxidase of Solanum tuberosum with β-cyclodextrin: Process details and applications

Polysaccharides differing in structure and chemical nature were screened for their ability to bind non-covalently with polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from potato (as a model) and their effect on enzyme activity. All the polysaccharides selected inhibited the PPO but β-cyclodextrin showed maximum inhibition under optimum conditions. Process details for the inhibition of PPO were studied with respect to concentration of β-cyclodextrin, temperature, pH, and time. Higher inhibition constant and lower half life was obtained at 40 °C than at 30 °C in the presence of inhibitor. β-Cyclodextrin showed mixed type of inhibition of PPO. β-Cyclodextrin was further exploited as anti-browning agent in selected fruit juices. It not only showed a significant anti-browning effect on freshly prepared potato juice but was also effective in other fruit juices. Better effect was seen in pineapple, apple and pear as compared to banana, sugarcane and guava fruit juices.