Conventional and advanced methods in the extraction for bromelain as a proteolytic enzyme complex from pineapple and pineapple waste: A review
1 Department of Food Technology, School of Biotechnology, International University – Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2 Department of Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, International University – Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
3 Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Biotechnology, International University – Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
4 Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer, International University – Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
5 Tan Phuoc Agricultural Pineapple Cooperative, Dong Thap Province
Review
International Journal of Scholarly Research in Biology and Pharmacy, 2025, 06(02), 022-030.
Article DOI: 10.56781/ijsrbp.2025.6.2.0028
Publication history:
Received 18 October 2025; revised on 25 November 2025; accepted on 27 November 2025
Abstract:
Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme complex derived primarily from pineapple (Ananas comosus), has recently attracted wide attention for its pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and industrial applications. However, its extraction efficiency and purity are influenced by diverse parameters, making optimization essential for large-scale production. This review's objectives aim to summarize the conventional and emerging extraction methods and identify the critical factors affecting bromelain yield and activity. The approaching methods include the overview and analysis of studies employing different extracting techniques, e.g. mechanical, solvent, aqueous two-phase, membrane, etc. Comparative evaluations were made based on extraction efficiency, enzyme recovery, purification fold, and cost-effectiveness. Findings reveal that while conventional solvent extraction remains common due to its simplicity, innovative methods, such as deep eutectic solvents (DES), enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS), and reverse micellar extraction, significantly enhance enzyme purity and activity recovery. Key factors influencing extraction include pH, temperature, ionic strength, surfactant type, substrate origin (stem, peel, core, or crown), and pre-treatment conditions. This review highlights a clear trend toward greener and integrated extraction technologies that balance yield, cost, and environmental sustainability. Future research should focus on hybrid techniques combining biocompatible solvents and smart process control to enable industrial-scale bromelain recovery with minimal enzyme denaturation.
Keywords:
Bromelain; Bromelain Extraction; Deep Eutectic Solvents; Enzyme-Assisted Extraction; Pineapple By-Products
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Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0