Patricia M.

Cañas September 13, 2018

BSN – 1F Biochemistry

H. pylori is a common type of bacteria that grows in the digestive tract and
tends to attack the stomach lining. It infects the stomachs of roughly 60 percent of
the world’s adult population. H. pylori infections are usually harmless, but they’re
responsible for the majority of ulcers in the stomach and small intestine.

The “H” in the name is short for Helicobacter. “Helico” means spiral, which
indicates that the bacteria are spiral shaped.

H. pylori often infect your stomach during childhood. While infections with
this strain of bacteria typically don’t cause symptoms, they can lead to diseases in
some people, including peptic ulcers, and an inflammatory condition inside your
stomach known as gastritis.

H. pylori are adapted to live in the harsh, acidic environment of the stomach.
These bacteria can change the environment around them and reduce its acidity so
they can survive. The spiral shape of H. pylori allows them to penetrate your
stomach lining, where they’re protected by mucus and your body’s immune cells are
not able to reach them. The bacteria can interfere with your immune response and
ensure that they’re not destroyed. This can lead to stomach problems.

The stomach has a layer of mucus that is designed to protect it from stomach
acid. H. pylori attack this mucus lining and leave part of the stomach exposed to
acid. Together, the bacteria and the acid can irritate the stomach, causing ulcers,
gastritis, or stomach cancer.

Stomach ulcers, which are also known as gastric ulcers, are painful sores in
the stomach lining. Stomach ulcers are a type of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic ulcers
are any ulcers that affect both the stomach and small intestines.
 Stomach ulcers occur when the thick layer of mucus that protects your
stomach from digestive juices is reduced. This allows the digestive acids to eat away
at the tissues that line the stomach, causing an ulcer.

Stomach ulcers may be easily cured, but they can become severe without
proper treatment.

What is enzymic browning? Enzymic browning is an oxidation reaction that

takes place in some foods, mostly fruit and vegetables, causing the food to turn
brown.

Oxidation reactions occur in food and non-food items. Enzymic browning is

a reaction which requires the action of enzymes and oxidation in order to occur.

What happens during enzymic browning? Oxygen in the air can cause sliced
fruit to brown, a process called enzymic browning (an oxidation reaction). Phenols
and the enzyme phenolase are found in the cells of the apple, and when these are
exposed to oxygen in the air, for example through slicing, the oxygen causes a
reaction. The phenolase changes the phenols into melanin, which has a brown color.
To stop the oxidative reaction, the phenolase enzymes need to be denatured. This
could be done by using heat and acids.

Why does enzymic browning happen? Foods are made up of lots of different
molecules including some called enzymes. Enzymes are special proteins which can
speed up chemical reactions and act as biological catalysts. They can cause fruit to
ripen and over-ripen, which gives the fruit a brown color.

Fresh fruit and vegetables normally keep enzymes trapped in their

tissues. However, when the fruit is sliced, or squashed, or when the fruit or vegetable
begins to break down with age, the enzymes come into contact with oxygen in the
air. This causes the fruit to turn brown.
REFERENCES:

https://www.ifst.org/lovefoodlovescience/resources/fruit-and-vegetables-enzymic-
browning

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311636.php

https://www.healthline.com/health/stomach-ulcer#diagnosis

https://www.healthline.com/health/helicobacter-pylori