Proteolytic Depilation of Lambskins: A Thesis for Doctor of Philosophy in Bioprocess Engineering at Massey University, New Zealand

The study investigated enzymatic depilation of lambskins, aiming to address issues that hindered its industrial adoption. It found that variability in skin properties led to inconsistent depilation, causing either damage from overexposure or incomplete hair removal. The research identified correlations between depilation effectiveness and skin properties like thickness, grease content, and follicle density. Damage was linked to the removal of minor collagen components, particularly collagen VI. The study concluded that a successful enzyme depilation system requires a broad-spectrum protease that does not affect collagen VI, and developed a method to select such proteases, potentially transforming the industry by enabling non-damaging enzyme depilation.