Papain from Papaya

P
apaya is a versatile plant having number of uses and
enzymatic properties. It could also be called medical
plant rendering high income to farmers. One can
manufacture products like tutti-frutti, candy slices (murabba)
and dehydrated papaya powder from raw papaya.

Origin of Papaya

Though the exact area of origin is unknown, papaya is

believed to be a native to tropical America, perhaps in
southern Mexico and neighbouring Central America. It is recorded that seeds were taken to
Panama and then the Dominican Republic before 1525 and cultivation spread to warm
elevations throughout South and Central America, southern Mexico, the West Indies and
Bahamas and to Bermuda in 1616. Spaniards carried seeds to the Philippines about the year
1550 and the papaya traveled from there to Malacca and India. Seeds were sent from India to
Naples in 1626. Now the papaya is familiar in nearly all tropical regions of the Old World and the
Pacific Islands and has become naturalized in many areas. Seeds were probably brought to
Florida from the Bahamas. Up to about 1959, the papaya was commonly grown in southern and
central Florida in home gardens and on a small commercial scale. Thereafter, natural enemies
seriously reduced the plantings.

The latex of the papaya plant and its green fruits contains two proteolytic enzymes, papain and
chymopapain. The latter is most abundant but papain is twice as potent. In 1933, Ceylon (Sri
Lanka) was the leading commercial source of papain but it has been surpassed by East Africa
where large-scale production began in 1937.

Papain

Papain is the only plant proteinase now being used as a protein digestant. It is used in
combating dyspepsia and other digestive disorders. It is used in the manufacturer of
pharmaceutical preperations like glyc. Papain, elix papain, liquid papain and liver tonics. Papain
finds extensive use in the manufacturer of proteolysed preperations of meat, liver and casein. In
brewing industries it is also used in tenderizing meat and softening of leathers, degumming of
natural silk and wool fabrics, chewing gums, tooth paste and cosmetics. Indigenous demand its
80-90% production is exported to USA and European countries, Western countries import
purified papaya latex for further processing to meet their specialised needs.

Cultivation of papaya is suitable in tropical and sub-tropical regions. In India it is cultivated in

large areas. Fertile, water retaining soil is most suitable for its cultivation. Tamil Nadu
Agriculture University has developed CO2 and CO5 varieties of papaya especially for latex of
papain production. Farmers can cultivate papaya for production of latex in about 25 acres (10
hectares) of land for supply 50-60 kg of latex per day for 300 days. In order to get papain
throughout the year the plantation is done in three phases with a gap of 3-4 months.

Uses of Papain

Papain by far is the most widely studied of the cysteine enzymes because of its commercial
value. It is used in applications like tendering of meat for fast cooking, softening of silk fibre and
leather, chill proofing of beer and pharmaceutical preparations for curing stomachic ailments.
Papaya pulp is also used in food processing industry. Some other uses of papain include:

• Defibrinating wounds in hospitals

• Used in pet food to reduce viscosity and increase palatability

• Shrink proofing of wool

• Prevents cornea scar deformation

• Used to treat edemas, inflammatory processes, and in

the acceleration of wound healing

• It is used as an ingredient in cleaning solutions for

soft contact lenses

• In low doses it can be used as an indigestion

medicine.

• Papain, in the form of a meat tenderizer such as

Adolph's, made into a paste with water, is also a
 home remedy treatment for jellyfish, bee, yellow jacket
(wasps) stings, mosquito bites, and possibly stingray
wounds, breaking down the protein toxins in the venom.

• It can also be found as an ingredient in some

toothpastes or mints as teeth
teeth-whitener

• Papain has been employed to treat ulcers, dissolve

membranes in diphtheria, and reduce swelling, fever
and adhesions after surgery.

Production of Papain

Farmers generally cultivate CO, CO2 developed by TN Agriculture University and Taiwanese
varieties. One plant gives a yield of about 150 kg of fruit in 8
8-10
10 months period. Plant to plant
distance of 2 meters is kept. Some farmers adopt inter
inter-cropping
cropping practice and grow chillies for
higher return.
turn. One can generate a profit of 10
10-12
12 lakhs from a plantation of 20 acres. A small
plant for production of papain could be set up near the field which costs around Rs. 5.00 lakhs
on machinery apart from infrastructure like shed, utilities like water and electricity.

Process of Papain Production

The unripe papaya is first given a longitudinal cut in the evening and it is wrapped by polythene
bag for collection of latex during next day morning with the
rising of sun. After collection the latex is mixed p
potassium
meta by-sulphite (Kms)
ms) and kept in cold storage to avoid
fermentation. Subsequently the latex is spread in trays and
drying takes about 4 hours. After drying the latex is scratched
from the trays. It is again mixed with K
Kms and ground in SS
hammer mills or roller and mills to get fine powder. Then its
proteolactec activity is tested in laboratory. Subsequently
lactose is added to the latex powder to get BP or IP grade
papain. The ready papain is finally packed in airtight polythene
bags or metal containers. Fig. Vacuum
acuum shelf driers
The main requirements of equipment are vacuum shelf dried de
de-humidifier,
humidifier, hammer milk,
blender, lab equipment and auxiliary equipment like cans, weighing scale, walk--in cooler sealing
machine.

All this equipment is available indigenously from food processing machinery manufacturers.

PROCESS FLOW CHART

Techno-Economics

Capacity- 5000 kg of latex papain 1 year

Land – 400 sq metres 0.50 lakhs

Building 100 sq metres
etres 2.00 lakhs
Machinery 6.00 lakhs
Contingency and pre
pre-operators 1.00 lakhs
Rs. 9.50 lakhs

Working capital (without raw material) Rs. 10.50

Source of Technology

Technology for papain production could be obtained from CFTRI, Mysore.

The plant should be set up near the field but water and electricity should be available. In
addition, farmer can sell the ripe fruit in the market. It is a highly profitable venture. Another has
been instruments is transfer of this technology to few entrepreneurs.

M. S. Virdi
Ex-Director, CSIR, Bhopal.
H-15, Sterling Castles, Hoshangabad Road, Bhopal
E-mail: virdim@yahoo.com

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