Alpha‑Amylase
Enzyme Preparations
9000‑90‑2
$1.62 ~ $2.43
Food
Free sample from 100g(NF)
One unit of:25kg/bag
One unit of:25kg/bag
25kg/bag
Product Info
What is Alpha‑Amylase?
Alpha-Amylase is an enzyme that randomly hydrolyzes internal starch bonds into dextrins and simpler sugars, primarily utilized in baking to improve dough handling and shelf life and in brewing to convert starches into fermentable sugars.
How is Alpha‑Amylase made?
| Step No. | Production Stage | Key Action | Control Point & Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inoculum Development | A pure, high-yielding microbial strain (e.g., Bacillus subtilis) is selected and cultivated in a seed fermenter to produce a large volume of active cells. | Control Point: Strain purity, cell viability, and growth phase. Note: A robust and contaminant-free inoculum is critical for a successful production-scale fermentation. |
| 2 | Medium Preparation | Prepare the fermentation medium containing a carbon source (starch), nitrogen source, and minerals. Sterilize the medium in an autoclave or by in-situ sterilization in the fermenter. | Control Point: pH, nutrient composition, sterility confirmation. Note: The medium must be completely sterile to prevent contamination by unwanted microbes that would compete for nutrients and reduce yield. |
| 3 | Fermentation | Inoculate the sterile medium in the main fermenter with the seed culture. The microbes grow and secrete extracellular alpha-amylase under controlled conditions. | Control Point: Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and agitation speed. Note: This is the core production step. Conditions are optimized to maximize enzyme expression and secretion. |
| 4 | Primary Recovery (Harvesting) | Separate the microbial cells and solid waste from the fermentation broth containing the enzyme. This is achieved through centrifugation or microfiltration. | Control Point: Centrifuge speed/g-force, filter pore size, temperature. Note: The objective is to obtain a clear, cell-free supernatant with minimal loss of enzyme activity. |
| 5 | Concentration | The cell-free broth is concentrated to reduce its volume and increase the enzyme concentration. Ultrafiltration is the most common method. | Control Point: Membrane molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), transmembrane pressure. Note: This step efficiently removes water and small molecular weight impurities. |
| 6 | Purification (Optional) | For high-purity applications, the concentrated enzyme is further purified using techniques like chromatography to remove other proteins and color compounds. | Control Point: Column type, buffer pH, elution profile. Note: The extent of purification is determined by the end-use application (e.g., food, pharmaceutical, or industrial grade). |
| 7 | Formulation & Standardization | Add stabilizing agents (e.g., salts, polyols) to the enzyme solution. The batch is then standardized by diluting it to a specific, consistent enzyme activity level. | Control Point: Enzyme activity assay, stabilizer concentration, homogeneity. Note: Precise standardization ensures that the final product has a reliable and predictable performance for the customer. |
| 8 | Drying (For Powder Form) | If a solid product is required, the liquid concentrate is dried, typically using spray drying, to produce a stable, water-soluble powder. | Control Point: Inlet/outlet air temperature, atomization pressure. Note: Drying conditions must be gentle enough to prevent thermal denaturation and inactivation of the enzyme. |
| 9 | Quality Control & Packaging | The final product (liquid or powder) is tested for activity, purity, microbial limits, and moisture content. It is then packaged into sealed, labeled containers. | Control Point: Final activity verification, microbial plate count, package integrity. Note: Proper packaging and storage conditions are essential to maintain enzyme stability throughout its shelf life. |
Technical Specifications
| CAS Number | 9000‑90‑2 |
| Solubility | Soluble in water |
| Storage Conditions | Store 2–8 °C (liquid), or cool dry for powder |
| Shelf Life | 12 Months |
Applications & Usage
Common Applications:
Bread making
brewing
starch processing
detergent
ethanol production
clinical diagnostics
Mechanism of action:
| Parameter | Alpha-Amylase |
|---|---|
| Functional Category | Enzyme; Processing Aid; Dough Conditioner; Anti-staling Agent. |
| Key Ingredients | Alpha-Amylase enzyme (EC 3.2.1.1) from fungal (*Aspergillus oryzae*) or bacterial (*Bacillus subtilis*) sources. |
| Mechanism of Action | Catalyzes the endo-hydrolysis of α-1,4-D-glycosidic linkages within starch molecules (amylose and amylopectin). This rapidly breaks down large starch polymers into smaller, soluble dextrins and oligosaccharides (e.g., maltose), reducing viscosity and producing fermentable sugars. |
| Application Effect in Product | In baking: improves dough machinability, increases fermentation rate (gas production), enhances oven spring and loaf volume, promotes crust browning (Maillard reaction), and extends shelf life by retarding crumb firming (staling). In brewing: liquefies starch in the mash for higher fermentable sugar extraction and yield. |
Comparison:
| Product Name | Category/Type | Key Features | Strengths (vs peers) | Weaknesses (vs peers) | Best Use Cases | Why Choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha-Amylase | Endoamylase Enzyme | Hydrolyzes internal alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds in starch, rapidly reducing viscosity. | Very fast liquefaction of large starch molecules; acts randomly along the chain, quickly breaking it down. | Inefficient at producing simple sugars alone; cannot break alpha-1,6 branch points, leaving dextrins. | Initial starch liquefaction in brewing and ethanol production; bread making (volume); detergent additives. | For rapid, initial reduction of starch viscosity and breaking large molecules into smaller dextrins. |
| Glucoamylase | Exoamylase Enzyme | Hydrolyzes alpha-1,4 and alpha-1,6 bonds from the non-reducing ends to release glucose. | Achieves near-complete conversion of starch to glucose; can break branch points. | Slower initial action on large starch molecules; action is inhibited by its product (glucose). | Saccharification for high-fructose corn syrup, fuel ethanol production, brewing low-carb beers. | To achieve maximum conversion of starch/dextrins into fermentable glucose. |
| Beta-Amylase | Exoamylase Enzyme | Hydrolyzes alpha-1,4 bonds from the non-reducing end to produce maltose units. | Produces high concentrations of a specific sugar (maltose), which is desirable for certain flavors and textures. | Cannot bypass alpha-1,6 branch points, leaving a 'limit dextrin'; less effective for initial viscosity reduction. | Production of high-maltose syrups; controlling wort fermentability in brewing. | When the desired primary end product is maltose, not glucose or mixed dextrins. |
| Pullulanase | Debranching Enzyme | Specifically hydrolyzes alpha-1,6 glycosidic bonds (the branch points in amylopectin). | Unlocks branched starch structures, making them fully accessible to other amylases, increasing overall yield. | Has no effect on the linear alpha-1,4 bonds; ineffective when used alone for starch breakdown. | Used with other amylases to improve efficiency and yield in syrup and ethanol production. | To maximize the breakdown of branched starches by working synergistically with other amylases. |
Technical Documents
Available Documentation
Spec Sheet, activity data, MSDS available
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
MSDS available
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Quality assurance documentation
Technical Data Sheet
Detailed technical specifications