COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

1 . A method for producing a consumable composition via a fermentation process comprising combining a high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition with one or more consumable ingredients comprising steps of:

(a) providing a microorganism expressing a recombinant pepsinogen, wherein the expressed pepsinogen is secreted by the microorganism into its growth media;

(b) harvesting the growth media and removing the microorganismal cells therefrom to obtain a liquid starting material;

(c) lowering the pH of the liquid starting material to less than pH 3.0 to obtain an activated pepsin composition;

(d) raising the activated pepsin composition to a pH of 5.0 or higher to obtain a high-activity stable pepsin composition; and

(e) isolating the stable pepsin polypeptide from protein and small molecules in the liquid starting material to obtain the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition having a specific activity from 400 FCC units/mg total protein to 50,000 FCC units/mg total protein;

(f) combining the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition with the one or more consumable ingredients to produce a consumable composition; and

wherein step (e) is performed after steps (c) and (d)

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-activity stable pepsin composition comprises a pepsin polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of a sheep, pig, cow, human, zebu, yak, Central European red deer, or goat pepsin.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the recombinant pepsinogen comprises any one of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 9, or an amino acid sequence with at least 90% identity thereto.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition comprises at least 5000 FCC units/mg total protein.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a Pichia species, a yeast, a filamentous fungus, a Saccharomyces species, a bacterium, a Trichoderma species, or an Aspergillus species.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition comprises less than 5% of contaminating proteins.

7 . A method of treating a disease or condition of the gastrointestinal tract, the method comprising:

(a) providing the recombinant pepsinogen in a formulated composition, in which the pepsinogen is produced by the method of claim 1 ; and

(b) administering the formulated composition for oral administration; in which upon contact of the formulated composition with an animal gut environment, the pepsinogen is converted to high-activity stable pepsin; and in which the pepsin is effective to treat the disease or condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

8 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method for producing a consumable composition via a fermentation process comprising combining a high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition with one or more consumable ingredients comprising steps of:

(a) providing a microorganism expressing a recombinant pepsinogen, wherein the expressed pepsinogen is secreted by the microorganism into its growth media;

(b) harvesting the growth media and removing the microorganismal cells therefrom to obtain a liquid starting material;

(c) lowering the pH of the liquid starting material to less than pH 3.0 to obtain an activated pepsin composition;

(d) raising the activated pepsin composition to obtain a high-activity stable pepsin composition; and

(e) isolating the stable pepsin polypeptide from protein and small molecules in the liquid starting material to obtain the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition having a specific activity from 400 FCC units/mg total protein to 50,000 FCC units/mg total protein;

(f) combining the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition with the one or more consumable ingredients to produce a consumable composition; and

wherein step (e) is performed after steps (c) and (d)

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the high-activity stable pepsin composition comprises a pepsin polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of a sheep, pig, cow, human, zebu, yak, Central European red deer, or goat pepsin.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the recombinant pepsinogen comprises any one of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 9, or an amino acid sequence with at least 90% identity thereto.

34 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition comprises at least 5000 FCC units/mg total protein.

35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the microorganism is a Pichia species, a yeast, a filamentous fungus, a Saccharomyces species, a bacterium, a Trichoderma species, or an Aspergillus species.

36 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the high-activity stable pepsin powdered composition comprises less than 5% of contaminating proteins.