Enzyme quality indicators, need

The need exists to expand the repertoire of tools available for weed management systems. What little we know of the molecular target sites of natural phytotoxins indicates that they are inhibitors of a broad array of enzymes and other molecular targets that have not been the focus of herbicide discovery efforts [1]. At present, commercially available herbicides target a relatively limited number of enzymes and metabolic pathways. The discovery of new target sites is a growing emphasis of pesticide companies, especially since the U.S. Food Quality Protection Act has combined food tolerance levels of pesticides with the same molecular target sites. 

This need was met by selection of an endogenous enzyme as an indicator of adequate heat treatment. The criteria applied were loss of enzyme activity should correlate with quality retention on frozen storage activity of the enzyme should be easily assayed in the processing plant and the enzyme should be ubiquitous to a number of plant materials. 

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