The use of α-amylase at reduced water content to develop time temperature integrators for sterilization processes

Abstract

In the framework of the development of time temperature integrators for the evaluation of sterilisation processes, the thermal stability of B. licheniformis and B. amyloliquefaciens α-amylase at reduced water content was studied based on isothermal experiments in a temperature range of 113 to 130 °C. The degree of heat-induced enzyme inactivation was monitored by measuring the decrease in thermal denaturation enthalpy, or alternatively the decrease in enzymatic action on p-nitrophenyl-α-D-maltoheptaoside or on starch as a substrate. The activation energies of heat inactivation of these enzymatic systems varied from 185 to 522 kJ/mole. ©1998 Academic Press.