Protease
A safe natural enzyme used to break down proteins.
- Category
- Stabilisers
- Vegan
- Yes
- Vegetarian
- Yes
What it is
Protease is an enzyme that cuts proteins into shorter pieces.
How it is used in food
Relaxes a stiff dough so biscuits spread evenly and bread sheets without tearing.
Commonly found in- Bread and biscuit dough
- Cheese making
- Protein hydrolysates
- Meat tenderising
Health and safety
Little to none in the food itself — the enzyme is denatured by heat and digested as protein. Where a risk exists it comes from the source material, so an enzyme from an allergenic source is the thing worth knowing about.
Food enzymes are proteins: they are denatured by heat and digested like any other protein. EFSA assesses each enzyme preparation together with the micro-organism it is produced from, since residues of the production strain — not the enzyme — are what the assessment turns on.
Regulatory status
| Region | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia & New Zealand FSANZ |
Permitted | Permitted under the FSANZ Food Standards Code. |
| European Union EFSA / European Commission |
Not approved | Not on the EU authorised list of food additives (Annex II). |
| United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) |
Permitted | Authorised for food use by the FDA (often GRAS for standard additives). |
Identification on labels
- E-number
- E1101
Worth knowing
Your own stomach runs on proteases; the ones added to food do the same job a few hours earlier.
Conclusion
A safe natural enzyme used to break down proteins.
Is it in what you are buying?
ScanWise reads the barcode and tells you which additives a product actually contains, and what they do to its score.
Open the appEntry last reviewed 2026-07-28.
← All additives