Papain is a cysteine protease, also known as papaya proteinase I,from the peptidase C1 family. Naturally found in the latex of the papaya fruit, one of the most common uses of papain is as a meat tenderizer because of its ability to hydrolyze specific peptide bonds. Another common use is as a digestive aid, again because of its ability to hydrolyze peptide bonds. Papaya is commonly referenced as a preferred fruit for those suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease due to its ability to help the the stomach with digestion of complex proteins.
