Starch & Sweeteners Enzymes

Starch is a polysaccharide that occurs in the organs of plants. Indeed, it is the second most abundant compound synthesized by plants (cellulose being the first) and is found in a granular form. These granules are deposited as a reserve food supply to be used during dormancy, growth, or germination. Commercial sources of starch are usually the storage organs of plants such as the seeds of cereal grains (rice, corn, wheat, and sorghum), roots (tapioca), and tubers (potato).

Most starches contain two types of glucose polymer: (1) a mainly linear molecule consisting of glucose residues linked a-l,4 called amylose, and (2) a branched polymer which, in addition, contains a-l,6 branch points, called amylopectin. Starch is synthesized in plants from sugars formed, in turn, from water and carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Although the actual mechanism of starch build-up is not fully understood, it is clear that several enzymes are involved; these are phosphorylase, starch synthase, and branching enzyme. Linear chains are produced from glucose by the action of the first two enzymes, and branch points are inserted into the growing molecules by branching enzyme.

The use of enzymes to convert starch into more usable, smaller molecular weight saccharides is an old technology that has been used by man for centuries. Such processes as the malting of barley evolved by empirical approaches long before the concept of an enzyme was elaborated. Nowadays, these older uses of enzymes have been rationalized in the light of our knowledge about enzyme action and new processes, involving highly purified enzymes from a variety of sources, can be proposed and adopted on the commercial scale.

At present, the major uses of starch-modifying enzymes in the food industry are in the production of low molecular weight sugars by the complete hydrolysis of starch. However, there are several other uses of enzymes, which are currently only at the laboratory or pilot scale but which have much promise for the future. These processes range from the addition of special enzymes to supplement hydrolysis, the partial breakdown of starch to produce compounds with altered gelling and retrogradation properties, to the use of non-hydrolytic and synthetic activities of enzymes.

Creative Enzymes provides enzymes for starch and sweeteners processing. Please find our enzyme products in the list below:

Except for these enzymes, Creative Enzymes also provides multiple enzyme blends used in various applications. To get more information about these products, please use our Contact Page.