# Industrial enzymes

Proteins made by fermentation that speed up reactions in detergents, baking, ethanol and feed; an $8 billion market led by Novonesis.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/

Bio-based chemicals · Fermentation products · No. 112

- Product family
- Feedstock: Crops and biomass
- not published (sold by activity, not tonnes)
- HS 350790
 Bio-based chemicals · Fermentation products · Foundation · Matter

Microbe-made proteins let your laundry come clean at 20-30 C and help turn maize starch into fuel.

Chart: Illustration: Industrial enzymes

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Engineered bacteria and fungi are grown on sugar in fermentation tanks of 100-300 m3, then the enzymes are filtered off and formulated.

##### Three things to know

1. The five biggest producers hold over half of the $8.4 billion enzyme market.
2. Novonesis grew 7% organically in 2025 and earned a 37.1% adjusted EBITDA margin.
3. Feed phytase must survive pelleting at 80-90 C, so stability matters as much as activity.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Strain engineering**Bacillus, Aspergillus or Trichoderma tuned for yield
2. 2 **Fermentation**Grown on sugar in 100-300 m3 tanks
3. 3 **Recovery**Cells filtered out, enzyme concentrated
4. 4 **Formulation**Stabilised as liquids or coated granules
5. 5 **Use**Fractions of a kilogram per tonne treated
 Covered in [The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[Soaps, detergents and agrochemicalsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/soaps-detergents-agrochemicals/)[Pharmaceuticals and fermentation: from molecule to medicineChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/pharmaceuticals-and-fermentation/)

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/enzymes/links/index.md)