Fungal+Amylase+-+Baking+Enzyme

=**What Are Enzymes?**=


 * Enzymes** are biological protein-containing catalyst that speeds up the rate of chemical reactions without being involved in the reaction itself. They help complex reactions occur everywhere in our life. Whenever a substances is needed to be transformed into another, nature uses enzymes to simply speed up the process. For instance, there are enzymes that assist in breaking down foods in our stomach (digestive system). It is essential to know that enzymes help reactions occur more easily as the speed of the reaction is increased by lowering the energy barrier. It does not add more molecules or energy to a reaction.

=**How Do Enzymes Work?**=

There are different ways in which enzymes work. We first have to understand how enzymes interact with substrates. Enzymes only act on specific shapes of molecules known as **substrates**. This is because each enzyme can only act on a specific kind of binding that substrates have, it is this that allows it to catalyze one kind of reaction with specific substrates. Enzyme complete very specific jobs and do nothing else. They are very specific locks and the compounds they work with are the special keys. When the substrates and enzymes are within close proximity the substrates bind to the **active sites** which is a specially shaped binding site of the enzyme that fits around the substrate. It is here where catalysis occurs and facilitates the reaction, taking in less activation energy than an unaided reaction. Catalysis is when the substrate changes. The substrate can be broken down or joined with another another molecule to make something new. At this point, the actives sites enzymes are then produced and released. Enzymes are then prepared for another reaction. The substrates are then altered and called products. This is the process known as the "**lock and key**." The conditions in terms of temperature, pH level and substrate concentration is crucial for an enzyme activity to function effectively. High temperatures breaks down bonds and will ultimately destroy the enzymes or result in it being denatured (changed shape so the active site no longer fits with the substrate and thus the enzyme can't function). Most enzymes function around the neutral pH level as high or low levels will alter the shape and functions of the enzyme which would inevitably slow or completely stop reactions. With a high substrate concentration, there would be a slow enzyme-catalyzed reaction because of the vast amount of substrates floating freely that need to be actively bounded with enzymes.

=What Roles Do Baking Enzymes Have?=

For decades, enzymes such as fungal alpha-amylase have been effectively used in the bread-making industry. Now with advanced technology, there are numerous //fungalase// enzymes used in the baking industry. //Fungalase// is derived from //Aspergillus oryzae// and it is the highest concentration of fungal alpha-amylase//.// Fungal alpha-amylase is an alpha-amylase enzyme thats capable of hydrolyzing (undergo hydrolysis) starch. The main substrate that it acts on is starch as it is also the main component of a white bread's wheat flour. It is typically used in baking but could also be used in other food grade applications. As soon as the dough is made, the fungal alpha-amylases degrades the damaged starch in wheat flour into small dextrins, which then allows yeast to work continuously during dough fermentation on the fermentable sugars, transforming them into alcohol and carbon dioxide that makes the dough rise, providing the early stage of baking. The amylases in this case can degrade starch and produce small dextrins for the yeast to act upon. As a result, the bread volume and crumb texture is improved. In addition, sugars from amylase enzymes enhance reactions responsible for the browning of the crust.

=**Still Interested?**=

Some other uses of fungalase enzymes include commercial starch modification, cleaning compounds, textile processing and animal feed supplements. The appearance of the enzyme is typically a tan, free flowing powder with a pleasant fermentation aroma. It is also supplied as an off-white powder that is readily miscible in water. Fungal amylase can also be categorized as a textile enzyme as they are also used for desizing woven fabrics due to their highly efficient and specific way of desizing without harming the yarn. For further reading on the detailed process of fungal amylase as a textile enyzme please visit this site - http://www.enzymeindia.com/enzymes/textile-enzymes.asp. For further reading on a list of enzymes and their applications please visit this site - http://www.bio-cat.com/products.php?sortby=application&application_id=8.

=Sources=

http://www.bio-cat.com/products.php?sortby=application&application_id=8 http://www.enzymeindia.com/enzymes/textile-enzymes.asp http://www.enzymeindia.com/enzymes/baking-enzymes.asp http://www.chem4kids.com/files/bio_enzymes.html http://www.chem4kids.com/files/bio_enzymes.html
 * http://www.americanbiosystems.com/products/fungalaseI.php**