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There are many recipes which call for using fruit peel fermentation process to make a concentrated enzyme cleaner solution, some variations call to add bakers yeast. So the question arises that does this recipe really have those cleaning enzymes and how are they generated?

This says that it may not have the cleaning enzymes, but maybe some other cleaning agents like vinegar or alcohol.

A discussion from two independent researchers on this topic give contrasting positions

Moreover if fruits like Pineapple and papaya are used does it make the solution more potent?

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The discussion you linked (here) shows that both researchers agree that 'garbage enzymes' are mostly acetic acid or vinegar, with a low pH(3-4). Fresh papayas contain papain, but roughly 2% of the enzyme self-digests per day in aqueous solution. Bromelain from pineapples is still active at acidic pH. Like most other proteases, it self-digests much more rapidly than papain. As a result, any digestive enzymes present when the mixture was made would destroy themselves by the time the mixture matured.

((Those among you quick at math will note that perhaps 1/5 of the papain activity would remain after ninety days. While true, there's evidence yeast cultures eat gluten for sustenance, and if they can digest gluten they'll digest papain. There's no reason to expect yeast to leave a delicious protein source unused.))

If the solution acquired proteases somehow, they would self-digest under the conditions the 'garbage enzyme' solution is stored at(room temperature, aqueous solution, nothing exotic like formaldehyde, months). The yeast itself by the time the fermentation is complete has died, destroyed by the acetic acid(or ethanol, depending) they created. Any digestive enzymes used by the yeast to dissolve proteins destroy themselves as the mixture matures and the yeast die off.

If the mixture starts with no digestive enzymes, there's no mechanism to get appreciable amounts active digestive enzymes. If the mixture does start with digestive enzymes(papaya or pineapple), either the yeast will eat them and then die or they will digest themselves and the yeast will eat the byproducts. Finally, the yeast will die.

It's a vinegar/alcohol blend, depending on how much oxygen is available during the fermentation, and it smells like whatever you put in it. If you used orange peels, it probably smells pretty okay. That's why it cleans.

If you are anxious to use real live proteases, there are powdered papaya/pineapple/etc powders you could reconstitute in water right before use. They are usually sold as meat tenderizer among other things. There are also blends of enzymes sold for pet urine deodorizing, and general purpose cleaning fluid with bacterial and enzymatic action. Formulating those at home is going to be fairly involved, but if you wanted an enzymatic cleaner you made yourself that's how to do it.

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  • $\begingroup$ Just for the sake of curiosity how do we prevent self-digest happening by laundry detergents? E.g. in the stomach pepsinogen is activated by pH lower than 3 (HCl secretion), and it activates the other proteolytic enzymes after that. $\endgroup$
    – inf3rno
    Oct 27, 2014 at 9:46
  • $\begingroup$ I think you answered your own question with respect to stomach enzymes, but most laundry detergents are just detergents and have no proteolytic activity, as far as I'm aware. I will admit I'm not keeping tabs on laundry science advancements, however. $\endgroup$
    – Resonating
    Oct 27, 2014 at 23:06
  • $\begingroup$ thanks , but what about the intra cellular enzymes of dead yeast? $\endgroup$
    – Bioguy
    Oct 28, 2014 at 4:27
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    $\begingroup$ "but most laundry detergents are just detergents and have no proteolytic activity" - just the opposite. if you just want a detergent you can use soap, or horse chestnut (saponin), etc... proteolytic activity is important to clear stains like grass, blood, chocolate, etc... $\endgroup$
    – inf3rno
    Oct 28, 2014 at 12:03
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    $\begingroup$ The stain-fighting ability of laundry detergent is due to oxidizers unless you have 'bio' detergent(I don't, but you can buy them) with proteases, amylases, lipases to break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats respectively. The pigments in grass stains for example(mostly chlorophyll) will not be attacked by proteases, because they're not proteins. $\endgroup$
    – Resonating
    Oct 28, 2014 at 16:53
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There is some evidence that garbage enzymes have significant enzyme activity, so they really work.

The decomposable waste thrown into the environment can be used to produce value added bio-product which in turn reduces the production of greenhouse gas. Garbage enzyme is one such value added product produced by fermentation of organic solid waste. In the present study enzyme activity and disinfectant potential of garbage enzyme was evaluated and its influence on reduction of total solids, suspended solids and pathogens in dairy waste activated sludge were studied. The result showed the garbage enzyme possesses protease, amylase and lipase activity and reduced 37.2% of total solids, 38.6% of suspended solids and 99% of pathogens in dairy waste activated sludge. This significant result may be helpful for researchers to compare the effectiveness of earth-friendly garbage enzyme treatment of industrial sludge with various physical and chemical pre-treatment methods to improve the bio gas production from the sludge digestion unit.

This study was conducted to explore the feasibility of using Garbage Enzyme to treat sullage. The enzyme was prepared from fruits dregs, kitchen waste, molasses and water and capable of having reinforcing and cleaning function to work with nature. In this study, sullage was collected at open drainage at Arked Meranti, Arked Cengal and Kolej 9 cafeteria?s and enzyme dosage determinations were done at laboratory scale. Sullage collected were analysed for BOD, COD, TSS and oil and grease. From the result obtained all samples treated using garbage enzyme prepared shows removal of BOD was 60% , COD and oil and grease almost 90%, then TSS was 80% after 7 days of treatment with different dosage of enzyme.

To answer your questions:

So the question arises that does this recipe really have those cleaning enzymes and how are they generated?

Fruits, biological garbage etc... all contains cells, and those cells contain enzymes. By the fermentation process the cells are breaking down (lysis) and they release their enzymes.

Moreover if fruits like Pineapple and papaya are used does it make the solution more potent?

Pineapple and papaya contain proteases (e.g. bromelain). Enzymes are proteins, so these proteases can degrade them as well. (I think these proteases can be inhibited safely, but this would require a lot of research.) So I think it is not a good idea to ferment pineapple or papaya, because the result will be a significant loss of enzyme activity.

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