Question

At the “Kitchen Chemistry” booth, culinary students are demonstrating how meat tenderizer (which contains protein-breaking enzymes) makes milk curdle and thicken within minutes, while plain milk in an identical container stays completely liquid even after 30 minutes. What fundamental property of enzymes does this side-by-side comparison demonstrate?
Question 9 options:

Enzymes work equally well on all types of molecules, regardless of their chemical structure

Enzymes require high temperatures to break down proteins effectively in food preparation

Enzymes are highly specific - protein-breaking enzymes only work on protein bonds, not other types

Enzymes work primarily to slow down biological reactions like milk curdling in living systems

Answer 1

Enzymes are highly specific — protein‑breaking enzymes only work on protein bonds, not other types.

Explanation: the meat tenderizer contains proteases that quickly cleave milk proteins (causing curdling), whereas plain milk lacks those enzymes so it remains liquid. The demo thus shows enzyme specificity (and also that enzymes can greatly speed reactions), not that they work on all molecules or require high heat.