What Does Alpha Amylase Do?

What Does Alpha Amylase Enzyme Powder Do?

People in the food industry should all have come into contact with amylase. Today, let's take a deeper look at Alpha amylase enzyme powder this food enzyme through this article.

1.What is Amylase?

Food-grade amylase is a biological enzyme preparation used in the food industry. It can efficiently and specifically catalyze the hydrolysis (decomposition) of starch, converting it into smaller molecules such as dextrin, oligosaccharides, maltose and glucose. It is one of the most important and widely used enzyme preparations in the modern food industry.

What is Alpha Amylase?

Alpha-amylase is an endonuclease capable of hydrolyzing the α-1, 4-glycosidic bonds in starch, including amylose and amylopectin. It is the most important and fundamental member of the amylase family, named for its action site being located within the starch molecule.

In simple terms, imagine a starch molecule as a long chain (or a branched chain) composed of glucose units joined end to end. α -amylase is like a "molecular scissors" that can randomly cut within the chain, thereby rapidly breaking down long-chain starch macromolecules into smaller fragments.

Xi'an Season Biotechnology alpha amylase powder specification data sheet:

2.Characteristics and mechanism of action of alpha-amylase

(1)Mode of action: endonuclease

Unlike exonucleases that start cutting from the end of the chain (such as β -amylase and amylase), α -amylase randomly attacks the α-1, 4-glycosidic bonds inside starch molecules. This mode of action enables it to rapidly reduce the viscosity of the starch solution, so this process is also called "liquefaction".

(2)Product characteristics

The product of α -amylase hydrolyzing starch is a mixture of oligosaccharides and dextrins of different lengths. Because it cannot hydrolyze the α-1, 6-glycosidic bond (the branching point of amylopectin), its final product will contain limit dextrin with the α-1, 6-bond. At the same time, as it is randomly cut, the product will also contain a small amount of maltose and glucose.

(3)Key functions: Viscosity reduction and liquefaction

When starch is heated in water, it will gelatinize and form a very viscous gel-like substance, which brings great difficulties to industrial processing. The core function of α -amylase is to rapidly cut long-chain starch at high temperatures, greatly reducing the viscosity of the slurry and making it highly fluid, thus creating conditions for subsequent processes such as saccharification.

3. Alpha Amylase Source

α -amylase is extremely widely distributed in nature.

Animal sources: saliva (hence the phenomenon of "chewing rice makes it sweet"), pancreas. Salivary amylase secreted by the salivary glands in the human body is the first step in the digestive process.

Plant sources: barley malt (the foundation of traditional beer brewing), seeds, tubers.

Microbial sources (main industrial sources) :

(1)Bacteria: Bacillus subtilis is the main strain for producing heat-resistant α -amylase, and the optimal temperature of its enzyme can reach above 90°C.

(2)Fungi such as Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus Niger produce α -amylase, and their optimal temperature is usually relatively low (50-70°C).

4.The main functions and effects of alpha-amylase and their corresponding application fields

1. Alpha amylase in starch sugar and syrup industry

(1)Function: This is the largest-scale application of α -amylase. The "liquefaction" is the first step in producing glucose syrup, maltose syrup and high fructose corn syrup. The high-temperature resistant α -amylase (usually derived from bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis) is used to rapidly liquefy the starch slurry at a high temperature of 90-105°C, significantly reducing its viscosity and preparing for the subsequent "saccharification" process (completed by saccharifying enzymes).

(2)Importance: Without liquefaction, the starch slurry becomes overly viscous, making it impossible to carry out efficient stirring and mass transfer, and subsequent reactions cannot proceed either.

2. Alpha amylase in alcohol and fuel ethanol industry

(1)Function: In the process of producing alcohol (including drinking alcohol and fuel ethanol) from raw materials such as corn, wheat, and cassava, α -amylase is also responsible for the liquefaction stage. It breaks down the starch in the grain mash, making it thinner for easier pumping and cooling, and provides convertible sugar precursors for yeast fermentation.

(2)Importance: Enhance raw material utilization rate, shorten production cycle, and reduce energy consumption.

3. Alpha amylase in baking industry

(1)Function

1)Providing energy for yeast: Breaking down the damaged starch grains in the flour into small-molecule sugars such as maltose provides sufficient nutrients for yeast fermentation, generating more carbon dioxide, thereby increasing the volume of the bread and making its texture softer.

2)Improving quality: Participating in the Maillard reaction helps form the golden crust of the bread and its unique baking aroma.

3)Delaying aging: By influencing the retrogradation of starch, it can to a certain extent delay the hardening and aging of bread.

(2)Importance: It is one of the key additives in the modern industrialized production of high-quality bread.

4. Alpha amylase in beer brewing

(1)Function

1)Liquefaction of excipients: When using non-malt excipients such as rice and corn, it is necessary to first liquefy their starch at high temperatures with α -amylase, and then mix them with the malt mash.

2)Supplement enzyme activity: Ensure the complete conversion of starch, increase the saccharification yield, and guarantee the abiotic stability of beer, preventing turbidity caused by residual starch.

(2)Importance: Ensuring the stability of beer quality and enhancing economic benefits.

5. Alpha amylase in textile industry

(1)Function: Used in the desizing process. During the weaving process, the warp threads need to be sizing (coated with a layer of starch) to enhance their strength and wear resistance. After the weaving is completed, this layer of sizing must be removed before dyeing and finishing can be carried out. α -amylase can efficiently and specifically break down these sizing agents without damaging the fabric fibers.

(2)Importance: This is an environmentally friendly and efficient biological treatment process that replaces the traditional acid or oxidant desizing method.

6.Alpha amylase in processing of fruit and vegetable juices

(1)Function: Many fruits (especially unripe or starchy varieties) contain starch after juicing, which can cause the juice to become cloudy and precipitate over time. Adding α -amylase before pasteurization can break down these starches, enhance the clarity and stability of the juice, and prevent turbidity after pasteurization.

(2)Importance: Enhance the sensory quality and shelf life of juice products.

7.Alpha amylase in detergent industry

(1)Function: As an additive in laundry powder and liquid detergent, it is specifically used to remove starchy stains from clothes, such as noodles, mashed potatoes, chocolate, meat juice, etc. Enzymes used in modern detergents have been genetically engineered to adapt to alkaline environments and low-temperature washing conditions.

(2)Importance: Enhance the decontamination efficiency of detergents and achieve energy-saving washing at low temperatures.

8. Alpha amylase in pharmaceutical and feed industry

(1)Function

1)Medicine: As a digestive agent, it is made into multi-enzyme tablets and other drugs to help patients with indigestion break down starch in food.

2)Feed: Added to animal feed, especially for young livestock (such as piglets), it helps them better digest the starch in the feed, improve feed conversion rate and growth performance.

(2)Importance: Supplement the deficiency of endogenous enzymes and promote nutrient absorption.

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