The pineapple variety N36 was amongst the four main varieties of pineapples planted in Malaysia [1]. This
variety is mainly used for canned product. The pineapple crown leaves are the burden of the canned pineapple
industry because the need of these pineapple crown for replanting is relatively small compared to the amount
of the refuse generated [2]. Hence, alternatives to its efficient utilization are necessary [3]. Fortunately, the
pineapple crown contains bromelain enzyme [4]. Bromelain is proteolytic enzymes or proteases [5]. It is an
aqueous extract of pineapple contains a complex mixture of proteases and non-protease components.
Bromelain is used in food processing for meat tenderisation [6].
Devakate et al. [7] used ammonium sulphate to precipitate bromelain or used ion exchange
chromatography to purify bromelain from fruit crude juice followed by dialysis using dialysis membrane to
remove salt. Finally, the desalted bromelain solution was dried using spray dryer or freeze dryer to produce
bromelain powder. In this study, the bromelain powder from the pineapple crown extract was produced
through purification, desalting followed by drying processes using cation exchange chromatography,
continuous diafiltrator and freeze dryer, respectively. Initially, the physico-chemical properties of the
pineapple crown extract was determined. Then, the bromelain activity in the pineapple crown extract, purified
bromelain, desalted bromelain and bromelain powder was determined.