Lysozyme

Discover the Power of Lysozyme: Nature’s Antimicrobial and Antiviral Enzyme

Lysozyme is a remarkable natural antimicrobial and antiviral enzyme discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1921. While nursing a cold in his lab, Fleming noticed a droplet from his nose fell into a Petri dish containing microorganisms. Observing the bacteria's reaction, he deduced the presence of a "remarkable bacteriolytic element." He named this protein lysozyme for its ability to lyse and inhibit the growth of gram-positive bacteria by rupturing their cell walls. Fleming isolated the enzyme from hen egg white in 1922, and its bactericidal activity was widely confirmed by the 1930s. Subsequent studies found lysozyme in biological fluids and tissues of many living organisms.

Mother Nature endowed hen egg white (albumin) with high lysozyme content to protect the yolk and chick embryo. This is why albumin is the primary raw material for industrial-scale lysozyme production. Bioseutica® offers a wide range of lysozyme products in food, animal feed, and wine as natural alternatives to chemical antibiotics, such as nitrates and sulfites.

For over thirty years, lysozyme has been used in foods and pharmaceuticals for its powerful natural antibacterial and antiviral properties. It inhibits spoilage organisms, increases shelf life, ensures food safety, and boosts immunity. Lysozyme is the perfect natural preservative for organic, artisanal, and minimally processed foods, helping to combat multi-drug resistance in microbes by replacing chemical antibiotics.

As Nature's Antimicrobial, lysozyme is crucial in the immune system's fight against infection. This natural polypeptide, with a molecular weight of 14.3kDa, is found in the organs and bodily fluids of humans, animals, and plants. Lysozyme is naturally present in mother's milk, tears, saliva, and even cauliflower juice, but egg albumen remains the most significant industrial source.

Bioseutica®'s food-grade lysozyme, extracted from hen egg whites using state-of-the-art technology, is a pure, non-toxic, microcrystalline, odorless powder with a slightly sweet taste. The remaining egg white produces ice cream, cakes, and other foods. Lysozyme from free-range egg whites is available upon request.

Bioseutica® is the only producer of lysozyme with patented methods certified free from Avian Flu virus risk by the Pasteur Texcell Institute. Our environmentally friendly manufacturing processes in Europe and the Americas adhere to the highest global purity standards without using solvents. Our extraction plants use an absorption process with ion-exchange resin, and our refining plants are certified cGMP, ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001, and ISO 1801.

Lysozyme Applications:

Since the 1970s, lysozyme's renowned bactericidal activity and total a-toxicity, alone or in combination with other synergic compounds, has been an excellent preservative against many food-spoiling microorganisms.

Lysozyme has been added to baby formula (to aid digestibility) and gastrointestinal treatments for the elderly. Lysozyme is used in skincare to cure and prevent acne and bedsores and in optical, dental, and oral conditions. In Japan, lysozyme is highly valued as a prescription and OTC remedy to treat headaches, colds, and throat infections. Today, it remains one of Japan's most reliable and trusted preservatives for fruits & and vegetables, tofu & and bean curd, seafood & and meats, wines, and sake to naturally inhibit the growth of many spoilage organisms, increase healthy shelf life, and augment food safety. Lysozyme can often replace chemicals altogether. Organic wines use it to reduce sulfites; most recently, it is used in non-pasteurized beer.

Bioseutica® is the only REACh¹ compliant worldwide manufacturer of Lysozyme for Industrial applications. There are many industrial fermentation processes where Lysozyme is used to obtain a higher yield or a more precise solution, e.g., food-grade quality Xanthan Gum.

1. REACH is a regulation of the European Union adopted to protect human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals while enhancing the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry. It also promotes alternative methods for the hazard assessment of substances to reduce the number of tests on animals. 

Lysozyme Product line: