Invertase

Enzyme that occurs in bacteria, yeasts, fungi, higher plants, but also in the gastric juice of bees, which hydrolytically splits the ordinary (clockwise) household sugar (sucrose) into fructose (fructose) and glucose (glucose). The (now left-turning - inversion) mixture of equal parts of fructose and glucose is called invert sugar. Invertases play a central role in plant metabolism. In humans, enzymes with the same function are called saccharases.

Industrially, Invertase is mainly used in the production of confectionery. The left-turning invert sugar is strongly hygroscopic and, unlike sucrose, does not tend to crystallize. Invertase is considered harmless to health.

In the EU, invertase is approved as a food additive for foodstuffs under the number E 1103.

1. Asturias JA et al (2003) The major Platanus acerifolia pollen allergen Pla a 1 has sequence homology to invertase inhibitors. Clin Exp Allergy 33:978-985.
2. Kitagawa M et al (2006) Reduction of allergenic proteins by the effect of the ripening inhibitor (rin) mutant gene in an F1 hybrid of the rin mutant tomato. Biosci Biochem 70:1227-1233.