Bromelain: Applications and Purification Strategies

Bromelain is a plant protease present in different parts of the pineapple [Ananas Comosus (Linn.) Merr.] plant. It is an enzyme of high commercial interest which can be attributed to the wide therapeutic and industrial applications it possesses. As such efficient purification and recovery of the enzyme is utmost necessary on a large scale basis. The review highlights the numerous applications of the protease enzyme and further discusses the various purification techniques beginning from simpler ultrafiltration to the more complex and specific column chromatography that are being commonly employed nowadays. Effort has been made to compare the purification strategies extensively and suggest the best among the techniques which is cost-effective, has high output and can be used on a large scale production basis.