Serrapeptase for Supplement Manufacturers: Safety, Identity and Specification Checks
A raw-material guide for supplement brands, contract manufacturers and resellers who need the enzyme in the drum to match the enzyme on the label.
The costly mistake with serrapeptase is rarely in the capsule line; it is buying a different enzyme under the right name. Trade offers exist in which a food-grade neutral protease made with Bacillus subtilis carries the serrapeptase name in its product title. One such offer is a 200,000 U/g grade sold in 1 kg packs; another is a 50,000 grade. Check that a listing names the source organism and states its activity in serrapeptase units.
The mix-up starts in the title. One product title can string together neutral protease, Bacillus subtilis protease and serrapeptase, so a search for serrapeptase also returns general protease grades such as the 200,000 U/g and 50,000 grades above. A buyer who compares those offers on activity alone sees bigger numbers and assumes better value, when the enzyme itself is not the one in the specification.
For a supplement brand, a contract manufacturer or a distributor, that gap decides whether a label claim holds up when a customer, an auditor or a retailer asks what is in the product. The checks below hold any lot, ours included, to the same standard before it reaches the blender.
This site's serrapeptase is specified from Serratia marcescens E15, with activity stated in SPU/g. Send the product, quantity and destination for a quote.
Production organism first
Ask for documents that name the production organism, and approve nothing that names Bacillus subtilis for a serrapeptase order. A Bacillus subtilis neutral protease stays a different enzyme whatever its title says.
Compare the same assay unit
Offers of this kind quote U/g from a general protease method, while a serrapeptase specification is written in SPU/g. A large U/g figure is not more serrapeptase, so only compare lots tested on the same method.
Read grade wording carefully
"Food grade" on a protease title describes the protease that is sold, not the enzyme name placed next to it. Check that the enzyme name, organism and unit agree on every document you receive for the lot.
For distributors and resellers
If you resell serrapeptase, state the production organism and the SPU/g figure in your own offer, so your buyers can tell your lot from a general protease sold under the same name. Ask your source for the same two facts before you list a lot.
| Check | What to look for |
| Production organism | Serratia marcescens E15 on this site's specification |
| Organism red flag | Bacillus subtilis named for a product sold under the serrapeptase name: a neutral protease, not serrapeptase |
| Activity unit | SPU/g; general protease grades such as 200,000 U/g or 50,000 are not comparable |
| Activity range offered | 60,000 – 240,000 SPU/g |
| Grade wording | "Food grade" on a protease title is no proof of enzyme identity |
| Minimum order quantity | 1 kg |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is serrapeptase the same as serratiopeptidase?
Yes, both names are used for the protease produced by Serratia marcescens. What is not the same is a general neutral protease from Bacillus subtilis that carries either name in a sales title. Check the organism and the unit before you compare offers.
What should a supplement manufacturer check before approving a serrapeptase lot?
Three points on the paperwork: the production organism, activity stated in SPU/g, and one enzyme name that matches across the documents and your label. Then confirm activity on a retained sample with your own method.
Why do some offers show much higher activity numbers?
A general protease grade such as 200,000 U/g is measured with a different assay from serrapeptase units, so the figure cannot be lined up against an SPU/g specification. A higher number in another unit tells you nothing about serrapeptase activity.
What are the most common sourcing mistakes?
Approving a lot on its title alone, comparing U/g with SPU/g, and accepting a food-grade line as proof of identity. Each one lets a general protease pass as serrapeptase.
What should I send to request a quote?
The product (target SPU/g), the quantity and the destination, plus your dosage form, such as capsule or tablet.
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