Enzymatic conversions of starch

Abstract

This article surveys methods for the enzymatic conversion of starch, involving hydrolases and nonhydrolyzing enzymes, as well as the role of microorganisms producing such enzymes. The sources of the most common enzymes are listed. These starch conversions are also presented in relation to their applications in the food, pharmaceutical, pulp, textile, and other branches of industry. Some sections are devoted to the fermentation of starch to ethanol and other products, and to the production of cyclodextrins, along with the properties of these products. Light is also shed on the enzymes involved in the digestion of starch in human and animal organisms. Enzymatic processes acting on starch are useful in structural studies of the substrates and in understanding the characteristics of digesting enzymes. One section presents the application of enzymes to these problems. The information that is included covers the period from the early 19th century up to 2009.

Harnessing the Maltodextrin Transport Mechanism for Targeted Bacterial Imaging: Structural Requirements for Improved in vivo Stability in Tracer Design

“…Although these first in vivo imaging results are promising and confirm the reported observations, the diagnostic applicability of this specific maltodextrin‐based probe is potentially limited by high background activity in excretion organs and low sensitivity. To further analyze possible in vivo degradation in the blood stream, the stability of [ 99m Tc] MB1143 against starch‐degrading enzymes was tested: These enzymes are present in human and murine blood and recognize maltodextrins from the nonreducing end, specifically α‐glucosidase (Figure ) . In human blood serum, a slow and defined degradation of the probe was observed at 37 °C, resulting in an increase in lipophilic metabolites over 2 h due to weak α‐glucosidase activity.…”

Achievements and Challenges in Improving the Nutritional Quality of Food Legumes

“…amylases, cellulases and invertases) (Blandino et al, 2003;Yu et al, 2003;Tomasik and Horton;2012). Complex carbohydrates in legumes may be hydrolyzed by carbohydrases to release glucose subunits for fruit juices and non-alcoholic beverages.…”

In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Low‐Crystallinity Phytosterol Nanoparticles Generated Using Nanoporous Starch Bioaerogels

“…Pancreatic α‐amylase acted on starch and resulted in approximately 47% hydrolysis during intestinal digestion. Amylase predominantly produces maltose followed by other water‐soluble dextrins (for example, maltotriose, maltotetraose, and maltopentaose) from starch (Dona, Pages, Gilbert, & Kuchel, ; Tomasik & Horton, ). Since the rate of hydrolysis of maltose or maltotriose into glucose is very low, NSA hydrolysis did not increase during sequential oral, gastric, and intestinal digestion, and ranged between 53% and 64% (Figure ).…”