What is it?
Lipase is a naturally occurring enzyme that breaks down fats (triglycerides) into fatty acids and glycerol. Commercial food-grade lipases are extracted from animal sources such as calf, kid or lamb pre-gastric tissue, or produced by fermentation of microbial strains including Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Mucor miehei, Candida rugosa, Rhizopus oryzae, and certain genetically modified variants of Aspergillus oryzae. The enzyme falls under the food enzymes regulatory framework rather than the conventional food additives list.
What does it do?
Lipase catalyses the hydrolysis of triglycerides, cleaving fatty acid chains from glycerol backbones. In cheesemaking this releases short-chain free fatty acids, particularly butyric, caproic, caprylic and capric acids, which are the primary contributors to the pungent or buttery character of hard Italian-style cheeses such as Parmesan, Romano and Provolone. In bread and baked goods, lipase acts on flour lipids to produce lysophospholipids, which act similarly to emulsifiers, strengthening gluten networks and improving crumb softness and shelf life without adding a separate emulsifier. At the doses used, the enzyme is largely inactivated by heat during cooking or baking.
Where you will see it
Predominantly found in hard and semi-hard ripened cheeses, processed cheese, cream and other dairy-based products. Also used in bread, flour-based bakery products, margarine, and some meat products. The enzyme is classed as a processing aid in many uses, meaning it may not appear on the label at all when it is fully inactivated and has no functional role in the final product. When declared, it appears as 'lipase' or 'E1104' in the ingredients list.
