Kinetic Studies on the Hydrolysis of Soluble and Cassava Starches by Maltogenase

In view of utilizing the commercial enzyme Maltogenase for the production of maltose syrup in a continuous membrane reactor, some kinetic properties of this enzyme were investigated. Preliminary tests were conducted using Zulkowsky soluble starch as substrate. At pH 5.0 and 60°C, the Michaelis and Menten kinetic constants Vmax and KM were respectively 2.47mmol of maltose equivalents·min−1·dm−3 and 9.64g of Zulkowsky soluble starch·dm−3. Initial hydrolysis velocity was reduced at high starch concentrations and in the presence of maltose. When liquefied cassava starch (≈60 to 340g·dm−3) was used as substrate, hydrolysis kinetics was modelled by analyzing whole progress curves. A simple empirical modell was established and allowed satisfactory descriptions of the experimental data for the formation of maltose over time at large enzyme/substrate ratios.