What is Medium Temperature Alpha-Amylase?
Medium Temperature Alpha-Amylase is a Bacillus subtilis-derived enzyme designed for efficient starch liquefaction, operating optimally between 60°C and 80°C. Commonly used in brewing, alcohol, and starch sugar industries, it reduces viscosity by hydrolyzing starch into dextrins. It thrives in PH 6.0–6.5 and requires low calcium levels.
Everything You Need to Know
How does temperature affect amylase?
Studies on the amylase characterization revealed that the optimum temperature of this enzyme was 90°C. The enzyme was stable for 1 h at temperatures ranging from 40-50°C while at 90°C, 66% of its maximum activity was lost.
What temperature kills amylase?
Certain temperatures are preferred over others, yes, but it's not until you hit the denaturing temperature that you've essentially "killed" the enzyme. And the denaturing temperatures for beta and alpha amylase are about 160°F (71°C) and 170°F (77°C), respectively.
What temperature is amylase most active at?
The optimum temperature for human salivary amylase is approximately 37°C (𝟗𝟖.𝟔°𝑭), matching human body temperature. However, this optimal range varies by source: plant amylases often act at 40–60°C, while some bacterial amylases (like those in brewing) can operate at 50–70°C or higher. Extreme heat causes enzyme denaturation, reducing activity.
Does freezing have an effect on amylase?
Amylase is the enzyme that acts on starch molecules. An increase in the temperature will slowly break the bonds and cause the enzyme denaturation. The low or freezing temperature will slow down the amylase activity, but it will not denature the enzyme's active site.
Main Details:
Key Features and Benefits
Optimal Temperature: 60°C to 80°C, with activity often reported around 60°C for, say, a Medium Temperature α-Amylase from Molecular Depot.
Optimum pH: 5.5–8.0, with a preferred range of 6.0-6.5.
Stability: Stable at high temperatures for reasonable timeframes (e.g., up to 80-90°C for short periods).
Applications:
Brewing/Alcohol: Used for efficient saccharification.
Starch/Textile: Used in desizing and reducing slurry viscosity.
Usage Guidelines
For the ProFood Medium Temperature Alpha-Amylase (20,000 u/ml), common dosages include 0.3L/1 ton of materials for brewing and 0.6L/1 ton for starch sugar production. Proper storage involves a dry, cool environment away from direct sunlight.
Effect of Temperature on Amylase Activity
Low Temperatures: Enzyme activity is slow due to lower kinetic energy.
Optimum Temperature: Highest activity occurs around 37°C for humans, where enzyme/substrate collisions are optimized.
High Temperatures: Beyond the optimum (generally >55°C), the protein structure denatures (changes shape), breaking active sites and stopping the reaction.
ANALYTICAL RESULTS
| Test Item | Method / Ref. | Specification | Result | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification | In-house ID / label claim | Medium Temperature α-Amylase | Conforms | Pass |
| Appearance | Visual | Light brown to yellow-brown powder | Light brown powder | Pass |
| Enzyme Activity | Supplier α-amylase assay | NLT 30,000 U/g | 31,600 U/g | Pass |
| Activity Unit Definition | Supplier-defined unit | Report only | U/g reported | Pass |
| Solubility | Water solubility test | Dispersible / soluble in water | Conforms | Pass |
| pH (1% solution) | pH meter | 5.5 – 7.5 | 6.4 | Pass |
| Loss on Drying | Gravimetric | ≤ 8.0% | 4.7% | Pass |
| Lead (Pb) | ICP-MS / ICP-OES | ≤ 5.0 mg/kg | 0.24 mg/kg | Pass |
| Arsenic (As) | ICP-MS / ICP-OES | ≤ 3.0 mg/kg | 0.11 mg/kg | Pass |
| Cadmium (Cd) | ICP-MS / ICP-OES | ≤ 0.5 mg/kg | < 0.05 mg/kg | Pass |
| Mercury (Hg) | ICP-MS / ICP-OES | ≤ 0.5 mg/kg | < 0.01 mg/kg | Pass |
| Total Plate Count | Plate count | ≤ 50,000 CFU/g | 2.2 × 10³ CFU/g | Pass |
| Coliforms | Plate count | ≤ 30 CFU/g | < 10 CFU/g | Pass |
| E. coli | Absence test | Negative / 25 g | Not Detected | Pass |
| Salmonella | Absence test | Negative / 25 g | Not Detected | Pass |
Production Process
