Residual amylopectin structures of amylase-treated wheat starch slurries reflect amylase mode of action

Some amylases can delay bread staling and/or starch (amylopectin) retrogradation, but the molecular basis of this effect remains little understood. In order to increase our insight in these aspects of amylase functionality, several amylases were added in a pure wheat-starch-containing model system and subjected to a heating step corresponding to that in the baking phase in bread making. Next, the effects of the limited amylolytic degradation on the rapid visco analyser (RVA) rheological properties of starch were studied and the accompanying changes in the amylopectin molecular properties (such as chain length distribution) investigated. The different amylases clearly affected the molecular structure of amylopectin to a different extent, which could be related to their mode of action and the enzyme activity levels added. Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae α-amylases had only a limited impact on the side chain distribution of the amylopectin molecules, presumably due to their preferential hydrolysis of internal chain segments and the low enzyme activity added in the RVA. In contrast, porcine pancreatic α-amylase and Bacillus stearothermophilus maltogenic α-amylase, both with higher degree of multiple attack and used at higher enzyme activity levels, had a marked influence on the amylopectin molecular structure. More in particular, under the test conditions, the maltogenic α-amylase reduced the average chain length of the outer chains by 50%. Presumably, this will affect amylopectin retrogradation to a large extent. The results contribute to a better understanding of amylase functionality in starchy foods.