Juice debittering technology — industrial source of naringinase for citrus processing Which microorganism is the standard commercial source of naringinase used to remove the bitter compound naringin from citrus juices?

Introduction / Context:Naringinase (alpha-L-rhamnosidase plus beta-glucosidase activities) hydrolyzes naringin, a key bitter flavonoid in grapefruit and some orange varieties. Food technologists deploy microbial naringinase to debitter juice without compromising aroma or nutritional value.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are selecting a safe, high-titer, industrial enzyme source.
• The enzyme must be produced economically at scale and meet food-grade standards.
• Aspergillus niger is a workhorse organism for food enzymes.

Concept / Approach:Aspergillus niger has a long history of safe use (GRAS) and produces robust extracellular glycosidases, including naringinase, pectinases, and cellulases. A. flavus is disqualified by aflatoxin risk; A. oryzae is used for other enzyme systems but is not the predominant commercial source of naringinase; S. cerevisiae is primarily a fermentative yeast with limited secretion of such glycosidases.

Step-by-Step Solution:Identify the enzyme (naringinase) and its debittering role.Match to industrial producer strains: A. niger aligns best.Exclude unsafe or non-productive organisms for this specific enzyme.

Verification / Alternative check:Supplier catalogs and applied microbiology literature list A. niger as the principal source of commercial naringinase preparations.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:A. flavus poses toxin risks; A. oryzae is useful but not the dominant naringinase source; S. cerevisiae and Penicillium roqueforti are not standard producers for this application.

Common Pitfalls:Confusing naringinase with pectinase; both may be used in juice processing, but they tackle different quality defects (bitterness vs. clarity/yield).

Final Answer:Aspergillus niger.