Enzymes, which are protein catalysts synthesized by living systems, are important as synthetic and degradative catalysts. With the help of a multitude of enzymes, microorganisms are able to carry out the huge number of stepwise chemical reactions necessary for the growth and maintenance of cells (metabolism). Many microorganisms synthesize additional, often complex substances, which play no part in the growth process, the so-called secondary metabolites such as flavor and fragrances. Most of the chemical reactions taking place in living cells are completed in milliseconds or less, within a relatively narrow range of physical conditions. This rapid rate of metabolism is due to the existence of biological catalysts, namely enzymes. Enzymes not only make essential contributions to cellular activities, but also find many applications in biotechnology, especially in the food processing industry, for manufacturing cheese, beer, wine, bread, sweeteners, and so on, and in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for synthesizing amino acids and antibiotics.While the presence of natural enzymes is advantageous in curing food products such as cheese and meat to give desirable textures and flavors, natural enzymes may produce undesirable reactions, such as rancidity from lipases and browning reactions due to polyphenol oxidases. Sometimes natural enzymes in foods are used as an index of the pasteurization of milk or cheese (by the detection of phosphatase or catalase) or to indicate the presence of peroxidase in vegetable products (as evidence of incomplete blanching). Recognition of the functions and the usefulness of enzymes in bringing about desirable changes in foods has led to the large-scale production of commercial enzymes. Of the more than 4000 enzymes known from animal, plant, or microbial sources, fewer than 20 are industrially produced on a large scale for the production of foods and intermediates. The majority of enzymes are hydrolases such as amylases, cellulases, pectinases, and proteases, which degrade polymeric substances to simple molecules. The world market for total enzymes is predicted to $7 billion in 2013