Experimental approach to optimize the use of alpha-amylases in breadmaking

alpha -Amylases from different origins (wheat, malted barley, fungi, and ba cteria) are used extensively to improve breadmaking. However, the enzyme ac tivities, in addition to the differences associated with their origins, are strongly affected by the process conditions and the presence of other comp ounds in the medium. The activity of different alpha -amylases was tested u nder different conditions (pH and temperature), and in the presence of some bread ingredients (salt and sugar), some breadmaking additives (ascorbic a cid and sodium propionate), and some metabolites (organic acids and sacchar ides) generated during the fermentation step, to envisage the behavior of t hese alpha -amylases during the breadmaking process. The alpha -amylase act ivities were affected to a different extent by the addition of these compou nds depending on the enzyme origin. In general, the alpha -amylases from ce reals (wheat and malted barley) were less sensitive to the presence of some ingredients, additives, and metabolites. These results show the great vari ation of the alpha -amylase activity with the process conditions and the im portance of its knowledge in the selection of the appropriate alpha -amylas e for a specific breadmaking process.