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If glucose was added to the jello, what effect would bromelain have on glucose?
Question Date: 2018-09-12
Answer 1:

As far as I can tell, bromelain would have no effect on glucose.

Bromelain is able to break apart peptide bonds that join amino acids so it would break down gelatin in the jelly, but glucose does not have peptide bonds.

Enzymes are not necessarily specific to a single reaction , but bromelain does not appear to catalyze the breakdown of bonds in glucose.

A semi-related question and answer on the effect of bromelain on gelatin can be found here.


Answer 2:

Bromelain is a protein that breaks down other protein. It has a large and complex structure, with many atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. It specializes in breaking certain types of connections between certain molecules, and not the type of bonds in molecules of glucose. Therefore, bromelain would not have any effect on glucose or other sugars. If it had a degradative (break down) effect on sugars, pineapples would not taste sweet!


Answer 3:

I don't think bromelain would have any effect on glucose, but it would probably turn gelatin or Jello liquid. Bromelain digests proteins, and glucose is a sugar. Bromelain digests the surface of my tongue and makes it sore, so I don't like to eat fresh pineapple, which has bromelain in it.

bromelain.


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