Application of microbial α-amylase in industry - A review

• Main Authors: Paula Monteiro de Souza, Pérola de Oliveira e Magalhães
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia 2010-12-01
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Microbiology
• Subjects: α-Amylases; enzyme production; bacterial and fungal amylase; starch
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1517-83822010000400004
• ISSN: 1517-8382; 1678-4405

Amylases are one of the main enzymes used in industry. Such enzymes hydrolyze the starch molecules into polymers composed of glucose units. Amylases have potential application in a wide number of industrial processes such as food, fermentation and pharmaceutical industries. α-Amylases can be obtained from plants, animals and microorganisms. However, enzymes from fungal and bacterial sources have dominated applications in industrial sectors. The production of α-amylase is essential for conversion of starches into oligosaccharides. Starch is an important constituent of the human diet and is a major storage product of many economically important crops such as wheat, rice, maize, tapioca, and potato. Starch-converting enzymes are used in the production of maltodextrin, modified starches, or glucose and fructose syrups. A large number of microbial α-amylases has applications in different industrial sectors such as food, textile, paper and detergent industries. The production of α-amylases has generally been carried out using submerged fermentation, but solid state fermentation systems appear as a promising technology. The properties of each α-amylase such as thermostability, pH profile, pH stability, and Ca-independency are important in the development of fermentation process. This review focuses on the production of bacterial and fungal α-amylases, their distribution, structural-functional aspects, physical and chemical parameters, and the use of these enzymes in industrial applications.