What is E1102?

Complete guide to understanding E1102 (Glucose Oxidase) – the enzymatic antioxidant for food preservation

The Quick Answer

E1102 is glucose oxidase—a naturally occurring enzyme (also known as notatin) that catalyzes the oxidation of glucose to hydrogen peroxide and gluconic acid, effectively removing dissolved oxygen from foods to prevent oxidation and extend shelf life. It is produced through fermentation of fungi (primarily Aspergillus niger) using enzyme biotechnology, making it a biological product derived from living microorganisms. E1102 functions as an antioxidant enzyme that prevents fat rancidity, browning, and flavor deterioration in foods requiring oxygen removal.

E1102 is approved globally by JECFA, EFSA, FDA, and virtually all regulatory authorities. Glucose oxidase is one of the safest food enzymes, with a long history of safe use in food and pharmaceutical applications. E1102 is widely used in bread-making (dough conditioner and oxidizer), beer brewing, wine production, soft drinks, canned goods, and products requiring oxygen removal. Glucose oxidase has no determined ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake), indicating the highest confidence in safety. E1102 is thermolabile (heat-labile), meaning it is inactivated/denatured during food processing and cooking, leaving no active enzyme in the final product.

E1102 is part of the food enzyme family (E1100-E1105), which includes enzymes like amylase, proteases, and invertase that modify food structure and properties. Glucose oxidase is unique as an antioxidant enzyme with oxygen-removal properties.

What Exactly Is It?

E1102 glucose oxidase is an enzyme protein that catalyzes a specific oxidation reaction: glucose + oxygen → gluconic acid + hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). This reaction simultaneously removes dissolved oxygen from foods while producing gluconic acid (a natural food acid) and small amounts of hydrogen peroxide (which is itself antimicrobial and antioxidant). The glucose oxidase enzyme is produced through controlled fermentation of Aspergillus niger fungi in industrial bioreactors, harvested, and concentrated for food use.

Think of glucose oxidase as “nature’s oxygen scavenger”—it evolved in fungi specifically to consume glucose while producing hydrogen peroxide, which kills competing bacteria. When applied to foods, this enzymatic activity removes dissolved oxygen that causes rancidity, browning, and flavor deterioration. In baking, glucose oxidase acts as a dough conditioner, improving gluten network formation and producing higher-volume bread with better crumb structure. Critically, the enzyme is heat-labile (inactivated during baking/cooking), leaving no active enzyme in the finished product.

Key characteristic: E1102’s most valuable property is being a naturally safe, protein-based antioxidant enzyme that requires no synthetic chemistry while efficiently removing oxygen. The heat-lability means zero residual enzymatic activity in cooked foods, providing maximum safety.

Chemical identity:

• Enzyme class: Oxidoreductase; specifically a glucose oxidase (GOx)
• EC number: EC 1.1.3.4 (Enzyme Commission classification)
• Catalytic reaction: D-Glucose + O₂ → D-glucono-1,5-lactone + H₂O₂
• Cofactor requirement: Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as prosthetic group
• Primary substrate: Glucose; highly specific for glucose
• Cofactor regeneration: FAD reduced to FADH₂ during glucose oxidation; re-oxidized by dissolved oxygen
• Molecular weight: ~160 kDa (homodimeric protein, two 80 kDa subunits)
• pH dependence: Optimal pH 5.0-6.0; active range 4.0-8.0
• Temperature dependence: Optimal ~45°C; rapidly inactivated above 60°C
• Substrate specificity: Glucose-specific; does not oxidize other sugars significantly
• Oxygen requirement: Requires dissolved oxygen to function; oxygen acts as electron acceptor

How it’s produced:

E1102 glucose oxidase is produced through industrial enzyme fermentation:

• Production organism: Aspergillus niger (most common); also Penicillium notatum and other fungi
• Fermentation method: Controlled submerged or solid-state fermentation in industrial bioreactors
• Medium: Glucose, nitrogen source, minerals; fungi cultured on nutrient-rich growth medium
• Fermentation conditions: Temperature 25-37°C; aerobic (oxygen-rich environment); 5-10 days
• Enzyme production: Fungi secrete glucose oxidase into fermentation broth or on solid substrate
• Harvesting: Enzyme-containing fermentation broth collected and processed
• Concentration: Crude enzyme concentrate obtained through precipitation and clarification
• Purification: Optional additional purification steps; typically used as crude enzyme concentrate
• Stabilization: Stabilizers (sorbitol, glycerol) and preservatives added to maintain enzyme activity
• Forms available: Liquid concentrate (5,000-20,000 U/mL), granules, or powders
• Quality testing: Enzyme activity measured in units/gram; purity and contamination testing per standards
• Food-grade production: Controlled fermentation and purification per food safety standards

Where You’ll Find It

E1102 appears in foods requiring oxygen removal and shelf-life extension:

Primary Food Applications:

• Bread and baked goods (PRIMARY USE) – flour treatment and dough improver; oxidizes glutathione to disulfide bonds, strengthening gluten network; improves dough elasticity, rise, and bread volume; produces lighter crumb structure
• Beer brewing (COMMON USE) – added during fermentation or before packaging; removes dissolved oxygen extending shelf life; prevents oxidative flavor deterioration; improves beer stability
• Wine production (COMMON USE) – oxygen removal extends oxidative stability; prevents browning and off-flavor development
• Soft drinks and beverages – oxygen scavenging; prevents oxidative degradation; maintains flavor stability during storage
• Canned and bottled goods – oxygen removal extending shelf life; preservative action
• Dairy products – milk treatment; oxygen removal reduces oxidative off-flavors
• Oils and fats – prevents oxidative rancidity; extends shelf life
• Fruit juices – browning prevention; flavor stability
• Processed foods – general oxidative stability; shelf-life extension

Regulatory scope (widely approved): JECFA—Approved as INS 1102; listed in Codex GSFA Table 3; permitted per GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) in multiple food categories. EU—E1102 approved; no maximum levels specified. FDA—Approved as food enzyme. Approved globally in virtually all countries.

Market prevalence: E1102 glucose oxidase is widely used in industrial bread-making and beverage production globally. In baking, it’s one of the most commonly used enzymatic dough improvers, particularly in European bread production. Usage in beer and wine is also substantial.

Why Do Food Companies Use It?

E1102’s unique advantage is providing enzymatic oxygen removal and dough conditioning without synthetic chemicals—combining shelf-life extension with baking quality improvements and complete heat-inactivation in the finished product.

Food manufacturers use glucose oxidase for:

• Oxygen removal: Enzymatically consumes dissolved oxygen; prevents oxidative rancidity, browning, flavor deterioration
• Shelf-life extension: Removes primary cause of oxidative food degradation
• Dough improvement (baking): Strengthens gluten network; improves dough elasticity and extensibility
• Bread quality: Increases loaf volume; improves crumb structure; produces higher-quality bread
• Natural ingredient: Enzyme derived from natural fermentation; clean-label appeal vs. synthetic oxidizers
• Heat-lability: Completely inactivated during baking/cooking; no residual enzyme in final product
• Safety profile: Protein enzyme; no ADI needed; long safe-use history
• Multiple benefits: Single ingredient provides dough improvement + oxygen removal + gluconic acid production
• Flavor stability: Prevents oxidative off-flavors in beverages, oils, fats
• No residue: Unlike synthetic oxidizing agents, enzyme is completely denatured; zero active enzyme in finished food
• Regulatory approval: Approved globally; no restrictions on use levels in most applications
• Cost-effective: Small amounts required for large effects
• Vegan-friendly: Produced through microbial fermentation; acceptable to vegans

Key advantage: E1102 enables multi-functional improvements (oxygen removal + dough conditioning) using a single natural enzyme that becomes completely inactive in the final product—impossible with synthetic oxidizing agents. The complete heat-inactivation during baking provides maximum safety.

Is It Safe?

Regulatory approval status:

• JECFA (WHO/FAO): Approved as INS 1102; ADI “not specified” (highest confidence)
• EU: Approved; no maximum use level specified
• FDA (USA): Approved as food enzyme; GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe)
• Codex Alimentarius: Listed as INS 1102 in GSFA Table 3; permitted per GMP
• Global approval: Approved in virtually all countries

Safety profile:

• No acute toxicity: Safe at all practical food use levels
• No chronic toxicity: Extensive use history shows no adverse effects
• No carcinogenicity: No cancer-causing potential
• No genotoxicity: No evidence of genetic damage
• No reproductive/developmental effects: Safe for pregnant women, children
• Metabolic fate: Protein enzyme hydrolyzed in digestive system like dietary proteins; no absorption of active enzyme
• Heat-lability: Completely inactivated during baking, cooking, pasteurization (>60°C); no active enzyme in finished product
• No bioaccumulation: Cannot accumulate; enzymatic protein degraded and eliminated
• ADI status: Not specified; highest regulatory confidence
• Allergenicity: Low risk; derived from edible fungus (Aspergillus niger); no matches to known allergen databases
• Long safety history: Used since 1928; decades of food and pharmaceutical use without documented safety issues
• Hydrogen peroxide byproduct: Small amounts of H₂O₂ produced are antimicrobial/antioxidant and rapidly decomposed

Important enzyme note:

• Protein-based: Glucose oxidase is a protein; hydrolyzed in digestive system like all dietary proteins
• Not absorbed: The active enzyme protein is not absorbed; broken down into amino acids
• No residual activity: Heat-lability means zero active enzyme in cooked/baked foods
• Natural production: Produced through fermentation of food-safe fungi; no synthetic chemistry required
• Gluconic acid byproduct: The acid produced from glucose oxidation is a safe food acid used independently in foods

E1102 vs Other Antioxidants

The Bottom Line

E1102 (glucose oxidase) is a safe, naturally-derived food enzyme that provides enzymatic oxygen removal and dough conditioning while being completely inactivated during food processing and cooking, leaving zero residual activity in the finished product. Glucose oxidase has an extensive safe-use history since 1928, no determined ADI limit (indicating highest confidence), and is approved globally.

Key facts: E1102 is safe at all practical food use levels. No ADI determined, indicating highest regulatory confidence. Approved globally in all major jurisdictions. Produced through safe fermentation of food-safe fungi. Heat-labile; completely inactivated during baking/cooking. No active enzyme in finished cooked foods. Protein enzyme; hydrolyzed in digestive system like dietary proteins. No documented adverse effects in decades of use.

Primary function: E1102’s main value is providing enzymatic oxygen removal that extends shelf life, prevents oxidative degradation, and in baking improves dough quality and bread texture—all without leaving residual enzyme in the finished product.

For consumers: E1102 glucose oxidase is safe to consume. Products treated with glucose oxidase are not health risks. The enzyme is heat-inactivated during cooking/baking, leaving zero active enzyme in finished foods. The small amounts of gluconic acid produced are safe food acids used independently. E1102 has a long history of safe food use since 1928. Safe for all ages including infants and children. Vegan-friendly (fungal fermentation).

Unique safety advantage: E1102’s heat-lability (inactivation during cooking) makes it uniquely safe—the enzyme completely disappears from the finished product, unlike other additives that remain. The only residues are beneficial: gluconic acid (a safe food acid) and possibly minor H₂O₂ (antimicrobial, rapidly decomposed).

Bottom recommendation: E1102 is one of the safest food additives. Long history of safe use (since 1928), no ADI needed, approved globally, heat-inactivated in final product. No precautions necessary. Consume freely. Particularly suitable for baked goods where dough quality is important and beverages requiring extended shelf life. Safe for all ages and dietary preferences. Vegan-friendly production method.