Where do enzymes come from?

There is a common misconception about where the enzymes used in many products actually come from. There is an important distinction between where an enzyme was originally discovered and how it is produced today. A good example is serrapeptase, which was first identified through research involving silkworms.

Scientists studying how silkworms dissolve their silk cocoon during metamorphosis discovered that bacteria present in the cocoon and on the surface of the silkworm produced an enzyme capable of breaking down silk proteins. This bacterium, Serratia E 15, was found to secrete the enzyme later named serratiopeptidase, more commonly referred to as serrapeptase.

In order to produce serrapeptase, the bacteria are cultured and then grown using a complex fermentation process. The silkworm is not utilized during any stage of the manufacturing process. So although the enzyme is referred to as "the silkworm enzyme", it is only in reference to how the enzyme was discovered, not how it is made for use as a nutritional supplement.

Arthur Andrew does not utilize any components or materials that are derived from an animal source. This is the reason why we do not utilize the enzyme lumbrokinase, known as the "earthworm enzyme". Unlike serrapeptase, lumbrokinase actually utilizes worms in its production process. Ignoring the obvious "ewww" aspect of the product, the enzyme does have health benefits for those that can overlook the way in which it is produced. However, Arthur Andrew feels that nattokinase is a superior fibrinolytic enzyme, and based on being derived from a microbial source is an "easier to stomach" enzyme than the lumbrokinase. All Arthur Andrew products are derived from only non-animal sources, including the use of cellulose capsules as to avoid animal gelatin.