Agriculture commodity
Papain
Proteolytic enzyme from papaya latex, specified by JECFA and the Food Chemicals Codex on activity rather than composition. Pharmaceutical grade above 2,000 USP U/mg sells at USD 45-70/kg. Buyers are pharmaceutical and cosmetic manufacturers, brewers and dairies — none of them papaya buyers.
At a glance
- Family
- Medicinal & Pharmaceutical Crops
- Sector
- Agriculture
- HS code
- 3507.90
- Forms
- 4
Traded forms
- Crude dried latex
- Latex scored from the unripe fruit and dried, before any purification. The farm-gate article.
- Spray-dried powder
- The standard traded presentation, sold on activity in USP units per mg.
- Refined powder
- Purified further and standardised to a stated activity, usually with a carrier.
- Liquid concentrate
- Stabilised solution, bought by breweries and tanneries that dose it directly.
Grading standards
JECFA Specification for Papain
FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives · Current · JECFA Papain
Frequently asked
- What is Papain?
- Proteolytic enzyme from papaya latex, specified by JECFA and the Food Chemicals Codex on activity rather than composition. Pharmaceutical grade above 2,000 USP U/mg sells at USD 45-70/kg. Buyers are pharmaceutical and cosmetic manufacturers, brewers and dairies — none of them papaya buyers.
- Which forms is Papain traded in?
- Papain is traded as: Crude dried latex, Spray-dried powder, Refined powder, Liquid concentrate.
- Which standards apply to Papain?
- Applicable grading standards include: JECFA Specification for Papain.
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