The Sirius Effect:

Chemistry is about the numbers. For cleaning agents X amount of surfactant removes Y amount of dirt. But enzymes do not follow simple stoichiometry. Enzymes break down protein, or lipids, or cellulose – and they keep doing that, over and over until they are eventually broken down by their environments.  This means that a little enzyme goes a long way. Read on to learn more about the latest products in Sirius’s product portfolio.

Enzymes are the ultimate green cleaners: as proteins, they naturally biodegrade in the environment.  They can replace up to 25% of the surfactants, allowing consumers to use less detergents without sacrificing cleaning performance. Because they also perform best at relatively low temperatures, this means that less energy is needed to heat the water.  However, enzymes have a very specific action – a lipase will only break down fat, and not proteins, for example – and this means that for optimal performance you will need several different enzymes. 

Which is exactly what Sirius has in their Britase line of products:  Need something that will break down a variety of organic stains, such as tomato sauce or jelly stains?  Britase Amylase will do that. Bloodstains are no match for Britase Protease. Oils will find their way into clothes as well, either from our skin or through spillage.  These can be broken down by Britase Lipase.  Washing can be quite hard on clothes; Britase Cellulase works to prevent pilling by dissolving minuscule threads before they can clump together. And if you’re not quite sure what ratio to use, Sirius has done the work for you, in the form of two enzyme mixes, pre-optimized for performance in laundry detergents:  Britase PAL mix, which is a mix of protease, amylase, and lipase, and Britase PALMC mix, which contains added mannanase and cellulase. Mannanase hydrolyzes mannose, a water-insoluble polysaccharide that is a component of many plant stains, such as ketchup, gravy and chocolate. Breaking down mannose makes it soluble, meaning that it can be washed away. 

Enzymes are also finding their way into personal care products.  Britase Bromelain breaks down dead skin cells, and is thus a gentle exfoliant, one that can brighten the complexion and soften the skin. Bromelain has anti-inflammatory properties when tested in vitro.  Britase Papain works in a similar way, but its action is less specific and for this reason it can be used to clear larger areas of skin. Sometimes papain is used in a medical setting to clean wounds.

But all the benefits of using enzymes means nothing if you cannot convince consumers to buy them. And most enzymes on the market these days are produced using methods that use genetically modified organisms like bacteria, yeast, or fungi.  Consumers, by and large, do not favor GMOs.  However, Sirius’s co-producer uses a different method of selecting the enzymes which does not use gene modification, which can improve the perception of a product. 

Want to find out more about our Britase products, and see how they can enhance your products’ performance and perception over and over again?

Call us today to find out. 

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