Modeling isolation of Amaranth protein by enzymatic breakdown of polysaccharides

Abstract

This article deals with technology of biochemically separating proteins from amaranth. Technology we examined was enzymatic degradation of polysaccharides from amaranth flour in order to liquefy starch by hydrolysing it into soluble glucose, and to enrich the solid phase with vegetable protein. Three specific enzymes (amylase, glucoamylase and cellulase) were chosen to this purpose. Measured data were mathematically processed applying the mechanism of first-order kinetics in relation to non-decomposed starch. From processed experimental data it followed that the level of activation energy of starch hydrolysis is 9.7 × 104 J/mol and frequency factor is 29 min-1. Separated amaranth components valuable for health (proteins, liquid proteins and sugars, oil, fibre) may serve to prepare functional foodstuffs and quality supplements, cosmetics, as an ingredient in animal feed or as a source of biological fertilisers. © 2011 RASAYAN.