"Fruit enzyme?" or "Eco-enzyme?"

[AllUrban]

Lately I have been hearing a lot about a so-called "eco-enzyme" and "fruit enzyme" which can be created by mixing fruits/vegetables with a sugar source and letting the mixture undergo a fermentation process.

The claims are such that this "enzyme" can improve health, break down chemicals, even clean our stinky biologically active drains.

Here is one of many articles which have come out of the Star paper

Fruit enzymes for better health

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/9/15/north/1998093&sec=North


Homeopathy and naturopathy doctor Joean Oon claimed that fruit enzyme, when added to drinking water, would break down the water molecules into finer particles to help the body absorb it.Is this realistic? Or a fantastic claim?


Cheers, m

[ginaphan]

Don't really know if the claims are true. I am now in the process of making cleaning enzymes which is made with things we normally throw out: fruit skins.

It takes 3 months and I just started last month. One of my customers have been doing it for some time now and she says that it really cleans and is also absorb smells effectively. She uses it to clean floors, cars, leather seats, clothes (in the laundry).....

The reasons I like about doing it are:

a) reduces methane when garbage rots in land fill
b) friendly to our rivers (we don't add more chemicals into our drains like when we are using store-bought cleaning agents)

[LMei]

I am now in the process of making cleaning enzymes which is made with things we normally throw out: fruit skins.
How do you do that?

[ginaphan]

I'm pretty busy at work right now but didn't want you to think I'm ignoring your question. Let me try to find some time to answer you .... sorry ......

[ginaphan]

Here's how you make the Cleaning enzyme. You need:

10 parts water
1 part brown sugar (don't use white sugar)
3 parts kitchen waste
1 plastic air tight container (don't use glass container)

Mix water and sugar. This should fill up the container up to about 60%. Cut the kitchen waste and add to the mixture. This should fill the container up to about 80%. Stir and close. Keep away from sunlight for 3 months.

For the first month, you need to stir and release the O3 gas (product of the fermentation process) on a daily basis. When you open the container, you will hear the Psst sound (after a few days or so). You continue to open the container once a day until you don't hear the psst sound anymore. (This gas buildup is the reason you don't use glass container).

After 3 months, the ideal color should be dark brown. If it turns black, add more sugar and let it ferment a little longer.

[ginaphan]

** Kitchen waste**

Use raw organic matter: fruit peels smells the best esp citrus peels. Apple skins, papaya skins, the hard part of the pineapple flesh, cucumber peel, tomatoes, pandan leaves, rose petals, dragon fruit skins. I just made a container load with pomelo skins (leftover from mooncake festival).

Stuff like potato skins, sweet potato skins and vegetables tend to smell weird but they work well too. I would add some lemon or orange peel or pandan leaves to these.

Never use any meat, or cooked vegetables. No oils.

You can accumulate your kitchen waste in the refridgerator until you have enough.

*** Brown sugar***

Any form of natural sugar can be used too: gula merah, gula melaka ..... although they are more expensive and tend to be gooey and sticky to work with.


********
I'll try to find the time to post ways of using the enzyme in the next few days.

[AllUrban]

** Kitchen waste**

Use raw organic matter: fruit peels smells the best esp citrus peels. Apple skins, papaya skins, the hard part of the pineapple flesh, cucumber peel, tomatoes, pandan leaves, rose petals, dragon fruit skins. I just made a container load with pomelo skins (leftover from mooncake festival).

Stuff like potato skins, sweet potato skins and vegetables tend to smell weird but they work well too. I would add some lemon or orange peel or pandan leaves to these.

Never use any meat, or cooked vegetables. No oils.

You can accumulate your kitchen waste in the refridgerator until you have enough.

*** Brown sugar***

Any form of natural sugar can be used too: gula merah, gula melaka ..... although they are more expensive and tend to be gooey and sticky to work with.


********
I'll try to find the time to post ways of using the enzyme in the next few days.post some photos of the process too...and the enzyme that you created.

I told my colleague who is a biology teacher about this. She is skeptical but might be willing to try the experiment if she can get a lab facility to allow for daily work on the experiment (right now they can only go into the lab once per week).

Cheers, m

[ginaphan]

Sure, will post photographs. I only have 1 batch in a transparent container. It's only about 1 month old. The other two are in translucent containers so it won't show much in photographs.

I was skeptical too when my 12-year old told me about this, until I met my customer who has been making it, and telling me how great a cleaning agent it is. My kid's tutor (master's student in the sciences at UM) has also been doing it for the last 2 years. She does the eating enzymes too.

The 'recipe' I gave is based on one that Justlife (www.justlifeshop.com) gave out. (I don't work there so this is not an advertisement.)

When my batches are ready, I'll post the results here.

[ginaphan]

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/ginaphan/P1010131-1.jpg

[umadavid]

Thanks for the info. Just the info I was looking for. How about the one you can consume...do you have the info on that as well? I have just got the bottles and brown sugar ready as I want to give this a go. :D

[maxima]

....The reasons I like about doing it are:

a) reduces methane when garbage rots in land fill
b) friendly to our rivers (we don't add more chemicals into our drains like when we are using store-bought cleaning agents)

Thanks Ginaphan for all the info.

and there are more reasons like :
1) increases the O2 in the atmosphere
2) detoxifies and kills germs if used externally as washing/cleaning/or even bathing agent
3) best fertilizer for plant and soil
.....

[LMei]

Sorry, this may sound like a dumb question.... Since the cleaning enzymes are also made with sugar, wouldn't it attract ants if it is used to clean? Isn't it sweet?

[ginaphan]

No it won't. The sugar is there to feed the bacteria that processes the entire mixture. After 3 months, no more sugar left.

[Good Guy]

This is now very widely circulated and I am about to try it.

There is some confusion over the mix proportions. I got 2 versions. One is by "parts", the other is sugar 200gm, fruits 600 gm and water 2 litres.

I shall be reading thru the links provided and learn from there.

Still don't understand why can't use glass containers which I think are more suitable. They're not going to explode with the little gas pressure.

Another contradicting instruction is not to open the container. But from what is said here, since there is gas, then it should be opened to let out the gas.

[ginaphan]

The proportions you got are the same: it's in weight instead of in volume.

Please don't use glass as the gas buildup can crack it. You may hurt yourself or if it leaks, all your effort is wasted. I made a big batch a couple of weeks ago and when I let go of the gas, it is like releasing pressure from the car tyres. Even the container changed shape when the gas built up.

The enzyme I am making now is for cleaning, not eating.

The Eating enzymes (good for health) does not require water and there's no gas buildup. It only takes 1 month, not 3. For Eating Enzymes, it's best to use glass container.

Happy Trying!

[kwchang]

I have found some very nice links to websites and blogs that detail this eco-enzyme topic -

a) An article in TheStar about our local initiatives in eco-enzymes here (http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/7/26/lifefocus/1633121&sec=lifefocus)

b) Something about recycling rubbish (http://mysmartmoneytips.com/2008/07/29/garbage- enzymes/) - has nice diagrams about proportions of ingredients

c) Notes on DIY eco-enzyme (http://enzymesos.blogspot.com/)

d) Home-made fruit enzyme drink (http://www.helium.com/items/466295-home-made-drink-recipes-for-health) with pictures of the process and details

and the best kept last -
e) A blog on DIY fruit enzyme (http://kampungboycitygal.com/?p=383)

[Good Guy]

Hi all,

There will be a talk as below, if you are intrested:


Garbage Enzyme

Save Our Earth Public Talk

Sharing Session By Bro. Swee Aun, assisted by Bro SzeToo

11.15am on 12 Oct (SUN) @SJBA Shrine Hall.

(after TzuChi Recycling talk @10am to 11am)

SJBA is Subang Jaya Buddhist Association at

12593 Jalan Kewajipan, SS13, 47500 Subang Jaya. Tel: 603-56348181

[Good Guy]

Today I posted on this subject in my blog. You can read it if interested.

http://blackandwhite999.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-make-garbage-enzymes.html

[maxima]

I want to warn all of you who make enzyme using plastic bottles. The other day I felt that a bottle was quite compressed with gas so I decided to open it slowly to release some of the pressure. I did open it very slowly but the cap just "pop" opened very loudly all of sudden ! It was very powerful and if it hit the eye it sure would do injury. Becareful you all, advise not to tighten the cap at all..

[Good Guy]

I want to warn all of you who make enzyme using plastic bottles. The other day I felt that a bottle was quite compressed with gas so I decided to open it slowly to release some of the pressure. I did open it very slowly but the cap just "pop" opened very loudly all of sudden ! It was very powerful and if it hit the eye it sure would do injury. Becareful you all, advise not to tighten the cap at all..

Maxima,
How long since you last opened?

I have put up another post in my blog today providing more info on this topic.
If anyone interested, can be viewed here:
http://blackandwhite999.blogspot.com/2008/11/garbage-enzymes-more-information.html

[maxima]

Maxima,
How long since you last opened?



I opened it after about a week. have you not experience this "explosion" ?

[ginaphan]

For the first month or so, you need to open it everyday.

By the second month, can wait a few days in between.

[Good Guy]

I am very new to this subject, but recently I made some "research" in the internet. I have added my comments in my blog about release of the gas. You can go through my two postings as indicated in my previous comments in this forum.

For easy reference, these are the additional notes:

My additional notes:
1. Leave some space for fermentation.
2. Make sure the container is airtight.
3. Release the bottle cap at least once a day for the first 2 months to let out built-up gas; then tighten cap again.
4. After letting out the gas, gently shake the bottle to mix the garbage with the solution, then loosen the cap again to let excess gas escape; then tighten cap again.

[fRaNkY]

Someone pass me a bottle the other day... its basically organic "CUKA" :) the smell