In November 2024, the Singapore Food Agency (published November 2024) named seven products that contained substances not allowed in food. One was a bottled drink marketed as a fibre enzyme drink. Tests found sennosides in it, a substance used in laxatives.

Most bottled drinks are made with care. Still, that case is a good reminder of one big advantage of homemade enzyme juice: you know every ingredient that goes in. This guide explains what enzyme juice really means, why fresh is a good choice, and how to make a pineapple and papaya enzyme juice with a Hurom slow juicer.

What people mean by enzyme juice

In Malaysia, "enzyme juice" can mean two different drinks:

1. A fermented enzyme drink. Fruit is mixed with sugar and left to ferment for weeks or months.
2. Fresh juice from enzyme-rich fruit. Fruit such as pineapple and papaya is pressed and drunk straight away.

This recipe is the second kind. It takes minutes, not months. Our guide on enzyme juice vs fresh juice explains the difference in more detail.

The enzymes in pineapple and papaya

Both fruits are known for their own natural enzymes.

• Papaya gives papain. The US National Library of Medicine describes papain as an enzyme obtained from Carica papaya, the papaya plant.
• Pineapple gives bromelain. A 2024 review in the journal Nutrients (published June 2024) describes bromelain as a mix of enzymes taken mainly from the fruit and stem of the pineapple plant.

Both are protein-digesting enzymes. That is why pineapple and papaya are used to soften meat in cooking.

Why fresh juice is a good choice

Enzymes are sensitive to heat. A 2010 study on bromelain extracted from pineapple found that heating at 80°C for 8 minutes caused almost complete loss of its activity.

Fresh juice from a slow juicer is never heated. You press the fruit and drink it. Many bottled juices are heat-treated so they keep on a shelf.

The other reason is trust. When you make enzyme juice at home, the only ingredients are the fruit you chose and washed yourself.

Pineapple and papaya enzyme juice recipe

Makes about three glasses.

Ingredients

• Half a ripe pineapple
• A quarter of a ripe papaya
• 1 green apple
• A squeeze of lime, optional

Steps

1. Cut the skin off the pineapple and cut the flesh into long strips.
2. Halve the papaya, scoop out the seeds and peel off the skin. Cut the flesh into pieces.
3. Wash the apple. Leave the skin on.
4. Feed the pineapple, papaya and apple in turn. The firm pineapple and apple help push the soft papaya through.
5. Stir in the lime and drink it straight away.

Use fresh fruit only. The Hurom H400 manual, on its manual download page, says not to put in fruit soaked in sugar, honey, alcohol or enzymes. So a fermented enzyme mix never goes through the machine. Make it in a jar, and keep the juicer for fresh fruit.

Picking ripe pineapple and papaya

Ripe fruit gives sweeter juice, so you need nothing added.

A ripe pineapple smells sweet at the base and feels heavy for its size. The skin turns from green towards golden yellow. Varieties grown in Malaysia, such as Josapine and MD2, are easy to find and juice well.

A ripe papaya has mostly yellow or orange skin and gives a little when you press it. If it is still green, leave it on the counter for a few days.

Both fruits keep for a day or two in the fridge once cut. Wrap the cut fruit, or keep it in a closed box, so it does not dry out. If you freeze extra pieces, thaw them fully before juicing, because frozen fruit gives little juice.

Which Hurom model makes this recipe

Hurom H400

The Hurom H400 has a large self-feeding hopper, and its product page says you do not need to cut the ingredients. That means less cutting before you start. Its parts come apart for cleaning, and it comes with a 10-year warranty.

Hurom H310A

The Hurom H310A is compact and lightweight. It makes juice and nut milk, stops on its own when you open the hopper cover, and comes with a 5-year warranty. It suits a smaller kitchen and one or two glasses at a time.

How a slow juicer compares for this recipe

A high-speed blender keeps all the fibre, so pineapple and papaya come out as a thick smoothie. That is a different drink. If you want clear juice, you would need to strain it.

A Hurom slow juicer presses the fruit at a low speed with a turning screw. The juice runs out smooth, and the dry fibre left after juicing goes to a separate cup. There is no straining step, and the fruit is never heated.

Cleaning up

Pineapple fibres can catch in the screen. Rinse it under running water straight after juicing. Our guide on how to deep clean a slow juicer screen shows how to keep the holes clear. If you need a replacement part, the spare parts collection lists genuine ones.

When you are ready to start, you can choose a juicer for enzyme juice that fits your kitchen and your daily routine.

Frequently asked questions

Is homemade enzyme juice better than bottled?

Homemade juice lets you know every ingredient, and fresh juice from a slow juicer is never heated. Bottled drinks vary, so read the label.

What is enzyme juice?

It can mean a fermented fruit drink, or fresh juice from fruit with natural enzymes, such as pineapple and papaya. This recipe is fresh juice.

Which fruits have natural enzymes?

Papaya contains papain, and pineapple contains bromelain. Both are protein-digesting enzymes.

Does heat destroy enzymes in juice?

Heat can. A 2010 study on bromelain extracted from pineapple found that 8 minutes at 80°C caused almost complete loss of its activity. Fresh juice is not heated.

Can I put fermented enzyme mix in a slow juicer?

No. The Hurom H400 manual says not to put in fruit soaked in sugar, honey, alcohol or enzymes. Use fresh fruit only.

How long does fresh enzyme juice keep?

It tastes best right after you make it. Drink it straight away, or keep it sealed in the fridge and finish it the same day.