Abstract
Extremophiles have adapted themselves at extreme environmental conditions like high or low temperature, pH, salinity, and pressure. Extremophiles may be either acidophilic, alkaliphilic, halophilic, thermophilic, psychrophilic, oligotrophic, endolithic, and xerophilic. There extremozymes are found to be biocatalysts and producers of novel enzymes which can be employed in many industries like food, cosmetics, chemical, pharmaceuticals, etc. Currently the researchers have developed keen interest in studying and utilizing the abilities of these extremophiles in food industries. Metabolic pathways and extremozymes are being studied by the researchers and they are trying to utilize its characteristics and also engineer these extremophiles. In food industries, one of the extremophiles, Rhodothermus marinus, which has been an excellent biocatalyst producing lipase as an enzyme, could be utilized to improve to aroma of food and add natural flavour to food. So, the current chapter will deal with the various applications of these extremophiles.
TopBackground
Extremophiles are a group of organisms that survive under extreme environmental conditions such as high or low temperature, pH, salinity, and pressure. These organisms have evolved and developed strategies and mechanisms to survive under extreme conditions. These extremophiles mainly belong to the genus Acidithiobacillus, Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Caldicellulosiruptor, Clostridium, Coprothermobacter, Enterobacter, Geobacillus, Micrococcus, Paenibacillus, Penicillium, Picrophilus, Pseudoalteromonas, and Thermobifida. (Zhu et. al., 2020)
Recently researchers are utilizing the enzymes produced by the extremophiles and have still developed keen interest in searching novel enzymes produced by them. Many research companies have been working to develop the strategies to genetically modify or design the extremophiles to take maximum advantage for utilizing extremozymes produced by them in biotechnological processes and food industries. For improvement in food and the food products constant efforts are made by the food industries to employ these enzymes. Thermophiles, psychrophiles, acidophiles and alkaliphiles, halophiles, piezophiles, toxitolerant and radiophile are the extremophiles which can be employed in the food industries.