Amylase is used in the making of bread, cattle feed and laundry detergent. It's primary function is to break down starches into short chain sugars. There are different kinds of Amylase and they come from a variety of sources. One such variety, Alpha Amylase found in human saliva, called Ptyalin, is comprised of 511 amino acids and is secreted by the salivary glands during eating.
Another type of amylase, Beta Amylase is found in plants, mold, yeasts and bacteria. Beta Amylase is a primary component of Diastase which convert the starches of grains into sugars. Home brewers rely on this type of conversion in the mashing process to aid in sugar extraction.
Ancient cultures have used saliva to create fermented beverages for hundreds of years. In the Peruvian rain forest, locals make Mosato by chewing the root of the Yuca, fermenting the masticated juice into a refreshing alcoholic drink. Another drink called Chicha, is made by chewing corn.
So the use of Amylase in brewing goes back to ancient times. The discovery that saliva converts starches to sugars is a ingenious low-tech solution to making home made beverages from grains. Those same principles are used today in everyday products. Sure we could use saliva, but now we have other, more palatable ways of achieving the same results.
Another type of amylase, Beta Amylase is found in plants, mold, yeasts and bacteria. Beta Amylase is a primary component of Diastase which convert the starches of grains into sugars. Home brewers rely on this type of conversion in the mashing process to aid in sugar extraction.
Ancient cultures have used saliva to create fermented beverages for hundreds of years. In the Peruvian rain forest, locals make Mosato by chewing the root of the Yuca, fermenting the masticated juice into a refreshing alcoholic drink. Another drink called Chicha, is made by chewing corn.
So the use of Amylase in brewing goes back to ancient times. The discovery that saliva converts starches to sugars is a ingenious low-tech solution to making home made beverages from grains. Those same principles are used today in everyday products. Sure we could use saliva, but now we have other, more palatable ways of achieving the same results.
