Enzyme activity is a measure of the catalytic ability and there are two methods to measure enzyme activity: one of them is to measure the decrease in substrate concentration in a period of time, and the other is to measure the increase in concentration of a product after a period of time.The shape and charge of the active site of an enzyme is tailored to the specific chemical reaction it catalyzes, therefore the enzyme activity is influenced by factors that affect its active site. Hence, enzymes require specific conditions to work at optimal levels and depending on their function and location, these conditions can vary greatly. These factors include pH and temperature. For example, active sites of enzymes often contain acidic or basic amino acids. Deviations from the optimum pH alter the charges in the active site, making it difficult for the substrates to interact with the enzyme. This property has been used for centuries to preserve food by pickling, which reduces the pH of the pickled food item to a level that effectively inhibits microbial enzymatic activity. Similarly, each enzyme works at an optimal temperature range. If the temperature shifts below or above this range, it alters the shape of the active site, preventing it from effectively interacting with its substrates. In most cases, returning to the optimal temperature restores the enzyme’s original shape and function, however, temperatures that are too high can denature or irreversibly damage the enzyme structure. Again, these properties are useful for food safety; we cook meat thoroughly to kill harmful bacteria by denaturing their enzymes and refrigerate most food items to slow down enzymatic activity of microorganisms.