amylase cultivation

[Demy]

I know it might sound like a silly question (my mind wanders) but could you reproduce the enzymes of amylase assuming you have the enzymes in powder form (similar to a yeast starter)? I know that a process called "submerged fermentation" is used, is there a painless way to replicate it at home? Forum chemists step forward!

[Ben]

Amylase isn't quite like yeast, yeast self propagates, amylase is a product of another organism. You would need to get the correct fungi and a host (probably a cereal) to grow it on. The easiest way to do this is propagate off of something like rice and Koji spores. In the US koji (aspergillus oryzae) spores are available in yeast balls or yellow angel yeast. I think if you want to grow only the enzyme you would need to source Koji separately from the yeast, and create a perfectly clean/sanitary environment. You could look at sourcing other Aspergillus strains, but I don't know anything about the availability.

[Metalking00]

I think theres an Angel product that is just the mold with no yeast, possibly the "rice leaven".

[jonnys_spirit]

I cultivate various koji on rice, soybeans, and grains from spores. It's not hard but it does require specific temp and humidity ranges - I use a small bread proofer for this and I can do adequate batches within a day or two which then can be frozen in a zip lock - or used fresh... I've use this for sake and rice wine with the addition of yeast and lacto as well as other koji based products like miso and similar... I'm sure you could colutivate other amylase strains given spores and an appropriate substrate...

Cheers!
-j

EDIT: You can purchase the koji spores on amazon and elsewhere for certain spores.. Black koji, yellow koji, etc...

[Demy]

The idea was to start with powdered enzymes, the one you can commonly buy and then propagate it. Would work? Do you have a procedure that works? Could the final product be liquid (similar to liquid enzymes)?

[bluc]

You cant make more enzymes using enzymes. Its not yeast it wont multiply. You need a fungus that produces enzymes like koji.

[Demy]

You cant make more enzymes using enzymes. Its not yeast it wont multiply. You need a fungus that produces enzymes like koji.

Ok, I understand ... it was easy I was lost ... Assuming you have the right mushroom, what would be the correct (home) procedure for obtaining liquid amylase? I suppose that the mushroom should be sown on a starchy substrate, I don't know anything else ... I'm willing to read so some in-depth links would help, I've never been interested in this kind of thing.

[malt_lover]

Raw papaya peels contain it so do lot of fruits. Easiest would be to buy digestive enzyme from a drug store containing aspergilis enzyme. Works very good at room temperature too.

[urbomb]

Okay Demi, fungus, not mushroom, think about the stuff you see on old bread, except a different strain. Koji is the national fungus of Japan, and grows as fuzzy stuff on cooked rice or other grains. Koji comes in several colors, and they have different properties. All of them, and Monascus (red yeast rice) make the enzymes required to break starch into sugar. Koji is used to make sake, soy sauce, miso, shoju and a number of other things. Shio koji (koji + rice + water + salt) is an amazing marinade for meat.
Papaya contains papain which is another enzyme
Angel yellow is a combination of yeast and enzymes which do the conversion of starch to sugar and the fermentation of the sugar concurrently.
Think of an enzyme as a chemical like salt, rather than a living thing like yeast (or koji)