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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297088
Title: Activity and storage of commercial amylases in the 2013 Louisiana grinding season

Author
item Eggleston, Gillian
item St Cyr, Eldwin

Submitted to: Sugar Bulletin
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2013
Publication Date: 9/5/2013
Citation: Eggleston, G., St Cyr, E. 2013. Sugar Bulletin 91. In: American Sugar Cane League, Editor. Activity and storage of commercial amylases in the 2013 Louisiana grinding season. Belle Rose, LA:American Sugar Cane League. p. 21-25.

Interpretive Summary: A current problem in the application of amylase enzymes at sugarcane factories is the existence of a wide variation in the activities and activity per unit cost of commercial amylases. The efficiency of amylase action to break down starch in the factory is related to the activity of the amylase used. A new international standard method was used to determine how the activities of commercial amylases at two Louisiana sugarcane factories changed during storage. A large variation in the storage properties occurred for different commercial enzymes.

Technical Abstract: A current problem in the application of amylases at sugarcane factories is the existence of a wide variation in the activities and activity per unit cost of commercial amylases. The efficiency of amylase action to break down starch in the factory is related to the activity of the amylase used. Until recently, there was a lack of a standard or uniform method to measure the activity of commercial amylases at the factory. The lack of a standard method has meant that the activity of commercial amylases is quoted by suppliers/vendors in many activity units, which only confuses factory personnel. Hence the direct comparison of activities at the factory has not been possible. Furthermore, the commercial amylase market is very dynamic and activities and prices change regularly. Fortunately, an international (ICUMSA) standard method is now available (Eggleston, 2013) for measuring the activities of commercial amylases at the factory. This method was used to determine how the activities of commercial amylases at two Louisiana sugarcane factories changed in storage.