Method of protecting an animal skin product from metalloproteinase activity

Abstract

Animal skins, pelts, and hides are protected from putrefaction, degradation or deterioration caused by metalloproteinases such as collagenase by applying at least one metalloproteinase inhibitor to a fluid in which the animal skin or hide is dipped or soaked, or applying at least one metalloproteinase inhibitor to a solid surface that directly or indirectly comes into contact with the animal skin or hide

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to leather processing and in particular, to a method of protecting animal skins or hides from enzymatic degradation by treating the animal skins or hides with a metalloproteinase inhibitor. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Deterioration of fresh hides and skins due to microbial growth and activity is a major problem in the leather and tanning industry and a major cause of economic loss. Harmful microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi may come from many sources, including the animal skin itself, the slaughterhouse and the leather tanning and processing environment. Fresh skins and hides have a high moisture content, a favourable pH, and large amounts of available nutrients, permitting the rapid growth of microorganisms, which results in the deterioration of essential components of the skins and hides. [0003] Microorganisms that grow on or near hides and skins can cause putrefaction of the hides and skins by producing enzymes...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] A feature of the present invention is to provide a composition and method for protecting animal skins and hides from proteolytic enzymes such as metalloproteinases that are produced by microorganisms that come into contact with the skins and hides or that are present in fluids or surfaces with which the skins and hides come into contact, for example during a leather tanning process, or that are endogenous proteolytic enzymes that were present in the skin or hide when the animal was slaughtered.

[0011] The present invention further provides a composition and method to protect skins and hides from metalloproteinases using compounds and compositions that are inexpensive and readily obtainable.

[0012] The present invention further provides a composition and method to protect skins and hides from metalloproteinases using compounds and compositions that have a low toxicity, are environmentally friendly and / or are compatible with tanning and leather processes.

[0014] To achieve the above noted goals and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides a method of preventing or inhibiting putrefaction, degradation, and / or deterioration of an animal skin or hide due to an action of a metalloproteinase. The method includes applying a solution containing at least one metalloproteinase inhibitor to the animal skin or hide or to a fluid or solid surface that contacts the animal skin or hide.

[0015] The present invention further provides a method of preventing or inhibiting putrefaction, degradation or deterioration of an animal skin or hide, the method comprising applying a solution containing at least one polyaminocarboxylic acid, or a salt thereof, to the animal skin or hide or to a fluid or solid surface that contacts the animal skin or hide.

[0016] The present invention further provides a method of producing leather including the steps of detaching an animal skin or hide from a slaughtered animal, curing the animal skin or hide, soaking the cured animal skin or hide, removing flesh and hair from the soaked animal skin or hide, and tanning the animal skin or hide from which the flesh and hair has been removed to form leather, wherein after the step of detaching the animal skin or hide from the slaughtered animal and before the step of tanning the animal skin or hide from which the flesh and hair has been removed to form leather, a solution containing at least one metalloproteinase inhibitor is applied to the animal skin or hide or to a fluid or solid surface that contacts the animal skin or hide in a sufficient amount to prevent or inhibit degradation or deterioration of the animal skin or hide due to an action of a metalloproteinase.

Problems solved by technology

Deterioration of fresh hides and skins due to microbial growth and activity is a major problem in the leather and tanning industry and a major cause of economic loss.

Fresh skins and hides have a high moisture content, a favourable pH, and large amounts of available nutrients, permitting the rapid growth of microorganisms, which results in the deterioration of essential components of the skins and hides.

Since finished leather is primarily collagen, damage to skins and hides from collagenase produced by microorganisms during stages of processing and storing animal skins and hides is particularly harmful and adversely affects the quality of the finished leather.

While biocides or preservatives may work well in inhibiting or killing microorganisms, they are generally not effective to block collagenase or other enzymes responsible for degrading collagen.

These enzymes can remain active and can cause damage even after the microorganisms that produced them have been killed.

Additionally, the use of biocides to preserve skins and hides can be expensive or impractical, since large amounts of biocides are required to kill enough microorganisms to completely prevent collagenase production.

Further, a biocide is not effective against endogenous enzymes, that is, against enzymes that were produced by the animal itself and that remain in the skin or hide after slaughter.

Moreover, in some instances, it may not be desirable to completely wipe out all of the microorganisms that come into contact with a skin or hide, since some microorganisms may produce enzymes that are useful in breaking down extraneous organic material attached to the hide or skin.

The usefulness and effectiveness of aminocarboxylic acid derivatives as collagenase inhibitors has not been known or appreciated in the leather and tanning industry and the use of protease inhibitors to protect skins and hides has not been previously reported.