TOTAL LIME AND SULFIDE FREE UNHAIRING PROCESS USING ANIMAL AND/OR PLANT ENZYMES

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel process for total lime and sulfide free unhairing in skins/hides using animal and/or herbal (plant) enzymes said process comprising presoaking skin or hide in water, pasting enzyme solution on the flesh or grain side of the skins/hides and removing the soaking liquor, transferring the hides/skins to a bath of water containing of enzyme for unhairing with or without intermittent shaking maintaining the pH of the bath liquor at 4.5 - 10.0 and the skins/hides are left in this bath for 12 -24 h at ambient temperature and then unhaired for further processing; the total elimination of lime and sulfide in the unhairing process leads to reduced TDS (total dissolved solids), BOD (biological oxygen demand) and COD (chemical oxygen demand) in the effluent without affecting the collagen of the skin/hide or the grain pattern.