Abstract

ENZYMATIC MODIFICATION OF STARCH

Michele Vitolo*

ABSTRACT

Enzymes are versatile catalysts largely used in industry. The starch industry – considered in terms of either starch extraction from corn (raw material) or starch modification (baking and syrups production) – uses huge amounts of enzymes (glucoamylase, bacterial -amylase, fungal -amylase, -amylase, glucose isomerase, pullulanase, xylanase, fungal acid protease, among others). In this work, we discuss processes by which starch is partially (baking) or fully hydrolyzed (syrups production) and the extraction of pure starch from corn grains. Some health hazards related to the enzyme handling are also discussed.

Keywords: Starch, enzymes, carbohydrases, proteases, syrups, baking.