Question

Actinidin, a protease is extracted from the fruits of .......

• A. Papaya
• B. Kiwi
• C. Sapota
• D. Apple

Hint:

Remember the botanical me of Kiwi, which is Actinidia deliciosa.
The me of the enzyme, Actinidin, is derived directly from its genus me, Actinidia.
This direct linguistic link makes it very easy to remember this specific plant-derived protease.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Proteases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in proteins, breaking them down into smaller peptides and amino acids.
These enzymes find extensive applications in the food industry, particularly in meat tenderization, dairy processing, and brewing.

Step 2: Detailed Explation:
Actinidin (also known as actinidain) is a sulfhydryl protease structurally similar to papain, bromelain, and ficin.
This enzyme is highly abundant in the fruit of the Chinese gooseberry or Kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa).
Actinidin can cleave structural proteins like collagen, elastin, and myofibrillar proteins in meat tissues, significantly improving meat tenderness without causing excessive mushiness.
In raw kiwi fruits, actinidin is active and can prevent gelatin from setting, which is why raw kiwi must be blanched before being incorporated into gelatin-based desserts.
Papaya is the source of papain, whereas pineapple is the source of bromelain.
Sapota and apple contain very low concentrations of proteolytic enzymes.

Step 3: Fil Answer
Thus, Actinidin is a protease extracted specifically from Kiwi fruit.