# “Bio-enzyme” - real or woo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 24, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899 "2020-08-24T17:24:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/1 "2020-08-24T17:24:09Z")
I’ve seen mentioned on my Facebook feed and other places something called bio enzyme which is a miracle organic homemade product. I think it’s just a scam and wanted to check with the folks here. It’s basically orange peels, brown sugar, water and some yeast “fermented” for a week in a bottle. Here’s one recipe for example : [Citrus Enzyme Cleaner Recipe](https://www.drkarenslee.com/citrus-enzyme-cleaner-recipe/) So do you really get any enzymes in this process ? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/2 "2020-08-24T17:40:05Z")
Sounds like total bullshit to me. Where exactly do the enzymes come from? The yeast? The peels? If yeast, then you could clean well with beer or wine. If it’s the peels, then why ferment it? My guess is that they’re making a weakly alcoholic solution with some orange oil liberated from the peels, and adding vinegar. That probably does a somewhat passable job of cleaning (alcohol and vinegar are solvents, and so are some parts of orange oil), and smells nice. But enzymes? I seriously doubt it. AFAIK, citrus peels don’t have enzymes for the most part that would be useful for cleaning. Neither do yeast. You’d need some sort of lipase or proteinase to clean effectively, which is exactly what dishwasher and laundry detergents have. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/3 "2020-08-24T17:46:41Z")
Yup, and I see no indication from that article that the writer knows what an enzyme is. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/4 "2020-08-24T17:50:17Z")
Agree with @bump and @Riemann I thought the same too. Is there a snopes page or something equivalent disproving these claims ; that I can show a rather adamant person ? ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/5 "2020-08-24T18:20:44Z")
There was another thread on this topic on these forums some time ago, you should search for. Especially since, IIRC, it became a argument-fest wherein propeller debated how the facts, as known, don’t really apply, and testimonials, published on the website, do apply. Its what you’re going to get from your friend when you come up with a Snopes link anyway, so it would be helpful for to be ready. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/6 "2020-08-24T18:42:17Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > Especially since, IIRC, it became a argument-fest wherein propeller debated how the facts, as known, don’t really apply, and testimonials, published on the website, do apply. Darn that [propeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/search?context=topic&context_id=918904&q=%40propeller&skip_context=true)! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/7 "2020-08-24T18:57:19Z")
> [@am77494](#): > > Is there a snopes page or something equivalent disproving these claims ; that I can show a rather adamant person ? When I read your OP and saw the url containing the phrase “enzyme cleaner”, I was assuming this was going to be something that people were drinking, to remove “toxins” from their _body_. This seems like a relatively harmless pursuit for somebody with a propensity to believe nonsense. Perhaps you should let them get on with it, for fear that they latch onto something much more harmful instead. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/8 "2020-08-24T19:11:05Z")
That’s sage advice. I am going to do just that. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/9 "2020-08-24T19:23:06Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > saw the url containing the phrase “enzyme cleaner” Nobody wants a dirty enzyme. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/10 "2020-08-24T19:41:47Z")
Is this thread converging with the “Jerry Falwell is a cuck” thread? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HbJeK4R85nU/hqdefault.jpg "Family Guy - Boiling Pot") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbJeK4R85nU) ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/11 "2020-08-24T21:16:10Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Sounds like total bullshit to me. Where exactly do the enzymes come from? The yeast? The peels? If yeast, then you could clean well with beer or wine. If it’s the peels, then why ferment it? You already answered your own question. The enzymes come from the bull shit, duh! ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/12 "2020-08-26T01:02:03Z")
Just to double-check… those enzymatic cleaners you get at the supermarket (for dog piss, etc.) actually do work, right? And aren’t just woo? This particular thread is doubting that this particular homemade concoction includes any special enzymes that would work for household cleaning? ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/13 "2020-08-26T01:12:37Z")
Let’s consult the Oracle of Teh Googlez: > Enzymes are biological molecules (typically proteins) produced by a living organism, that significantly speed up the rate of virtually all of the chemical reactions that take place within cells. > Enzymes are highly selective catalysts, meaning that each enzyme only speeds up a specific reaction. Description in the O.P. sounds like a recipe for prison wine. I mean, any port in a storm, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/14 "2020-08-30T01:54:42Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Sounds like total bullshit to me. Where exactly do the enzymes come from? The yeast? Yes, yeasts release enzymes (a digestive process), which are bio-enzymes. It’s one of the reasons for using yeasts with flour: the enzymes soften the bread (leavening) as well as producing carbon dioxide. As to if this process produces helpful enzymes … no idea. https://opentextbc.ca/ingredients/chapter/enzymes/#:~:text=Leavening%20Agents%2033%20Enzymes%20Enzymes%20are%20not%20ingredients,enzymes%20work%20is%20very%20helpful%20in%20understanding%20fermentation. > **[Enzyme | Definition, Mechanisms, & Nomenclature](https://www.britannica.com/science/enzyme)** > > Enzyme, a catalyst that regulates the rate at which chemical reactions proceed in living organisms without itself being altered in the process. Most critically, enzymes catalyze all aspects of cell metabolism. Learn more about enzymes in this... > The fermenting of wine, leavening of bread, curdling of [cheese](https://www.britannica.com/topic/cheese), and brewing of [beer](https://www.britannica.com/topic/beer) have been practiced from earliest times, but not until the 19th century were these reactions understood to be the result of the catalytic activity of enzymes ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/15 "2020-08-30T02:02:24Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > …which are bio-enzymes Just to note that the term “bio-enzyme” is only used in this world of woo, it’s not a scientific term. An enzyme is, by definition, always a biological molecule (and almost always a protein). ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/16 "2020-08-30T02:06:32Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > …those enzymatic cleaners you get at the supermarket (for dog piss, etc.) actually do work, right? And aren’t just woo? Yes, this is real. That is to say, I don’t know how _well_ they work, but it’s based on real science, and they contain actual enzymes. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/17 "2020-08-30T04:11:39Z")
I’m sure that an ex-chiropractor who’s gone into dietary woo, is anti-GMO and blames nasty modern food for her kids’ ailments is a positive oracle when it comes to revolutionary homemade household cleaners. /sarcasm ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/18 "2020-08-30T09:59:12Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Enzymes are highly selective catalysts, meaning that each enzyme only speeds up a specific reaction. I’m sorry, I didn’t explicitly finish my train of thought earlier. The quoted, ah, Wikipedia quote indicates that - and here we’ll assume the random yeast species in our concoction are indeed producing viable enzymes - the enzymes will only target very specific chemical processes. What are the odds that this specific process will be “clean up orange juice the kids spilled three days ago behind the toaster” and not, say, “digest wheat gluten” or something? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/19 "2020-08-30T10:28:09Z")
> [@am77494](#): > > It’s basically orange peels, brown sugar, water and some yeast “fermented” for a week in a bottle. Here’s one recipe for example : [https://www.drkarenslee.com/citrus-enzyme-cleaner-recipe/](https://www.drkarenslee.com/citrus-enzyme-cleaner-recipe/) It sounds like [Pruno](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruno). ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899/20 "2020-08-30T14:57:01Z")
You are unlikely to get a miracle product with a significant and meaningful effect. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bio-enzyme-real-or-woo/918899.md?page=2)