Abstract: The present invention relates to variants of a parent beta-glucosidase, comprising a substitution at one or more positions corresponding to positions 142, 183, 266, and 703 of amino acids 1 to 842 of SEQ ID NO: 2 or corresponding to positions 142, 183, 266, and 705 of amino acids 1 to 844 of SEQ ID NO: 70, wherein the variant has beta-glucosidase activity. The present invention also relates to nucleotide sequences encoding the variant beta-glucosidases and to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the nucleotide sequences.

Abstract: This invention provides novel enzyme compositions using newly identified and isolated C. lucknowense enzymes, including CBH Ib CBH IIb, EG II, EG VI, ?-glucosidase, and xylanase II in conjunction with previously identified enzymes CBH Ia, CBH IIa (previously described as Endo 43), and EG V. These enzyme compositions demonstrate an extremely high ability to convert lignocellulosic biomass (e.g., Avicel, cotton, Douglas fir wood pretreated by organosolv) to glucose. CBH Ia and IIb, which both have a cellulose-binding module (CBM) displayed a pronounced synergism with three major endoglucanases (EG II, EG V, EG VI) from the same fungus in hydrolysis of cotton as well as a strong synergy with each other. The enzyme compositions are effective in hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the production of ?-CD, comprising making a starch slurry, incubating with ?-CGTase and isoamylase simultaneously for ?-CD production, forming a complex of ?-CD and an organic complexant, and purifying ?-CD from the complexant. The present invention provides a simple and cost-effective method for producing high purity ?-CD, which has a short production cycle, a high conversion rate, and is adaptable to large-scale industrial production.

Abstract: A novel thermoacidophilic pullulanase (Tk-PUL) from hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 is described here that efficiently hydrolyzes starch under industrial conditions in the absence of any additional metal ions. The gene encoding Tk-PUL was cloned and expressed in E. coli cells. The purified recombinant enzyme possesses the following properties; shows both pullulanase and ?-amylase activities displays highest activity at 95-100° C. active over a broad pH range (3.0-8.5) with optimum working pH 3.5 stable for several hours at 90° C. and displays a half-life of 45 minutes at 100° C. activity and stability are independent of calcium and other metal ions hydrolyzes maltotriose Moreover, recombinant Tk-PUL can be used for single step liquefaction and saccharification of corn starch (without any ?-amylase or ?-amylase) at pH 4.2 in the absence of calcium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: Isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius are provided. Further provided are methods of at least partially degrading, cleaving, or removing polysaccharides, lignocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, chitin, polyhydroxybutyrate, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups using isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: Variants of a Pseudomonas saccharophila G4-forming amylase (PS4) advantageously can catalyze high temperature saccharification to produce maltotetraose syrup from a starch liquefact or granular starch, e.g., derived from cornstarch. The PS4 variants are useful in a process of saccharification of starch that advantageously produces significant amounts of maltotetraose, which can be used downstream in a process of producing a maltotetraose syrup. In one embodiment, a thermostable PS4 variant is provided that can produce about 40% to about 60% by weight maltotetraose, based on total saccharide content.

Abstract: The invention provides variants of the Azospirillum irakense CelA ?-glucosidase that have improve ?-glucosidase activity, particularly improved thermoactivity, compared to the wild type enzyme. The invention further provides related polynucleotides, vectors, host cell, and methods for making and using the variants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: Variants of a Pseudomonas saccharophila G4-forming amylase (PS4) advantageously can catalyze high temperature saccharification to produce maltotetraose syrup from a starch liquefact or granular starch, e.g., derived from cornstarch. The PS4 variants are useful in a process of saccharification of starch that advantageously produces significant amounts of maltotetraose, which can be used downstream in a process of producing a maltotetraose syrup. In one embodiment, a thermostable PS4 variant is provided that can produce about 40% to about 60% by weight maltotetraose, based on total saccharide content.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to polypeptides having an amylase activity, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods for making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. In one aspect, the polypeptides of the invention can be used as amylases, for example, alpha amylases, to catalyze the hydrolysis of starch into sugars. In one aspect, the invention provides delayed release compositions comprising a desired ingredient coated by a latex polymer coating.

Abstract: A starch-based biodegradable material composition includes: an enzyme-hydrolyzed starch; and a biodegradable polyester selected from at least one of an aliphatic polyester of polybutylene succinate and an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester. The enzyme-hydrolyzed starch is prepared by hydrolyzing a native starch using a starch-hydrolyzing enzyme. The starch-hydrolyzing enzyme has an activity unit ranging from 15000 to 40000.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide having alpha-amylase activity, the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which has at least 70% identity with amino acids 22 to 450 of SEQ ID NO: 4; b) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which has at least 70% identity with the polypeptide encoded by the amylase encoding part of the polynucleotide inserted into a plasmid present in the E. coli host deposited under the Budapest Treaty with DSMZ under accession number DSM 15334; c) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence which has at least 70% identity with the sequence shown from position 68 to 1417 in SEQ ID NO: 3; and d) a fragment of (a), (b) or (c) that has alpha-amylase activity.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for producing fermentable sugar obtained from a plant tissue. The methods include providing transgenic plant material comprising one or more locked carbohydrates and contacting plant material with an enzyme capable of converting the locked carbohydrate into a fermentable sugar. The methods are useful for providing sugar or sugar pre-cursors for several industrial purposes including ethanol production. The invention also encompasses plants and plant parts that produce a lock enzyme to yield a locked carbohydrate, with the consequence of accumulating the locked carbohydrate in the plant. The invention also encompasses providing a key enzyme able to convert locked carbohydrates to fermentable sugars. Key enzymes can be provided by transgenic plants or plant parts, transgenic microbes, transgenic yeast, microbes or yeast.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having isoamylase activity derived from Dyella japonica and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to the use of said polypeptide having isoamylase activity for producing glucose syrup, fructose syrup, maltose syrup or maltitol.

Abstract: The inventors have developed a method of altering the amino acid sequence of a fungal alpha-amylase to obtain variants, and they have used the method to construct such variants. The variants may be useful for anti-staling in baked products. Accordingly, the invention provides a method of constructing fungal alpha-amylase variants based on a comparison of three-dimensional (3D) structures of the fungal alpha-amylase and a maltogenic alpha-amylase. One or both models includes a substrate. The invention also provides novel fungal alpha-amylase variants.

Abstract: This invention provides novel enzyme compositions using newly identified and isolated C. lucknowense enzymes, including CBH Ib CBH IIb, EG II, EG VI, ?-glucosidase, and xylanase II in conjunction with previously identified enzymes CBH Ia, CBH IIa (previously described as Endo 43), and EG V. These enzyme compositions demonstrate an extremely high ability to convert lignocellulosic biomass (e.g., Avicel, cotton, Douglas fir wood pretreated by organosolv) to glucose. CBH Ia and IIb, which both have a cellulose-binding module (CBM) displayed a pronounced synergism with three major endoglucanases (EG II, EG V, EG VI) from the same fungus in hydrolysis of cotton as well as a strong synergy with each other. The enzyme compositions are effective in hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract: The invention is a method of detecting CAD in a CKD diagnosed human patient or CKD in a diagnosed CAD patient, or detection the presence of both CDK and CAD by assaying a plasma or serum sample of a human patient for elevated levels of BMP-4.

Abstract: Disclosed are a fluid absorber, a method for preparing a fluid absorber, and a method for absorbing fluid from the skin. The disclosed method for preparing a fluid absorber generally comprises the steps of selecting a starch and an enzyme for hydrolysis of the starch, determining a fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level for the starch, and enzymatically hydrolyzing the starch to approximately the optimum level thus determined. The starch alternatively may be hydrolyzed with acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst. The disclosed method for absorbing fluid from the skin includes the step of applying a fluid absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber thus prepared. Absorption properties of the fluid absorber of the invention are comparable to or exceed those of commercially available skin fluid absorbers, such as talc and unmodified corn starch.

Abstract: The invention relates to a genetically engineered variant of a parent starch debranching enzyme, i.e. a pullulanase or an isoamylase, the enzyme variant having an improved thermostability at a pH in the range of 4-6 compared to the parent enzyme and/or an increased activity towards amylopectin and/or glycogen compared to the parent enzyme, to methods for producing such starch debranching enzyme variants with improved thermostability and/or altered substrate specificity, and to a method for converting starch to one or more sugars using at least one such enzyme variant.

Abstract: A method has been discovered to produce a resistant starch product that retains the same cooking quality as found in untreated rice starch or flour, but has a higher percentage of starch resistant to ?-amylase digestion. This method uses a debranching enzyme, e.g., pullulanase, to digest the starch, but does not require pre-treating the starch source prior to enzymatic treatment. This method produced resistant starch from low amylose starches, rice starch (24%) and rice flour (20%). Surprisingly the resistant starch product formed by this method retained the pasting characteristics of the untreated flour or starch, and was heat stable. This method may also be used to produce resistant starch from other botanical sources, e.g., corn, wheat, potato, oat, barley, tapioca, sago, and arrowroot. Resistant starch produced by this method has a variety of uses in food products.

Abstract: A method has been discovered to produce a resistant starch product that retains the same cooking quality as found in untreated rice starch or flour, but has a higher percentage of starch resistant to ?-amylase digestion. This method uses a debranching enzyme, e.g., pullulanase, to digest the starch, but does not require pre-treating the starch source prior to enzymatic treatment. This method produced resistant starch from low amylose starches, rice starch (24%) and rice flour (20%). Surprisingly the resistant starch product formed by this method retained the pasting characteristics of the untreated flour or starch, and was heat stable. This method may also be used to produce resistant starch from other botanical sources, e.g., corn, wheat, potato, oat, barley, tapioca, sago, and arrowroot. Resistant starch produced by this method has a variety of uses in food products.

Abstract: A process for producing a starch comprises treating a feed starch that comprises amylopectin with glucanotransferase to produce a chain-extended starch, and treating the chain-extended starch with a debranching enzyme to produce a starch product that comprises amylose fragments. At least about 38% by weight of the amylose fragments have a degree of polymerization (DP) of at least about 35.

Abstract: A process for producing a starch comprises treating a feed starch that comprises amylopectin with glucanotransferase to produce a chain-extended starch, and treating the chain-extended starch with a debranching enzyme to produce a starch product that comprises amylose fragments. At least about 38% by weight of the amylose fragments have a degree of polymerization (DP) of at least about 35.

Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules which encode a branching enzyme from a bacterium of the genus Neisseria, vectors, host cell, plant cells and plants containing said nucleic acid molecules as well as starch obtainable from the plants described are described. Furthermore, an in-vitro method for producing ?-1,6-branched ?-1,4-glucans on the basis of sucrose and a combination of enzymes of an amylosucrase and a branching enzyme as well as the ?-1,6-branched ?-1,4-glucans obtainable by said method are described.

Abstract: A process for extracting phytochemicals from plants. The process generally comprises controllably slurrying a selected plant material in a volume, adding a selected enzyme the slurry while it is controllably agitated, then heating the controllably agitated slurry-enzyme mixture to a temperature from the range of 40° C. to 110° C., and then maintaining the slurry-enzyme mixture at that temperature for a selected period of time. The slurry is then separated into a solids fraction and a liquids fraction that contains extracted phytochemicals. The liquids fraction is controllably de-watered to produce a fluid extract concentrate. The liquids fraction may optionally be dried to produce a dried extract concentrate. Suitable enzymes for use with this process include ?-amylases, ?-amylases, endo-?-1,4-glucanases, cellobiohydrolases, cellulases, hemicellulases, ?-glucosidases, ?-xylosidases, xylanases, pullulases, esterases and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A process for preparing saccharide oligomers uses an aqueous feed composition that comprises at least one monosaccharide or linear saccharide oligomer, and has a solids concentration of at least about 70% by weight. The feed composition is heated to a temperature of at least about 40° C., and is contacted with at least one catalyst that accelerates the rate of cleavage or formation of glucosyl bonds, such as enzyme or acid, for a time sufficient to cause formation of non-linear saccharide oligomers. A product composition is produced that contains a higher concentration of non-linear saccharide oligomers than linear saccharide oligomers.

Abstract: A process for producing a starch comprises treating a feed starch that comprises amylopectin with glucanotransferase to produce a chain-extended starch, treating the chain-extended starch with a debranching enzyme to produce a starch product that comprises amylose fragments, crystallizing at least part of the starch product, heating the starch product in the presence of moisture, treating the starch product with alpha-amylase, and washing the starch product to remove at least some non-crystallized starch. The product of this process has a relatively high total dietary fiber content.

Abstract: A process for producing a starch comprises treating a feed starch that comprises amylopectin with glucanotransferase to produce a chain-extended starch, and treating the chain-extended starch with a debranching enzyme to produce a starch product that comprises amylose fragments. At least about 38% by weight of the amylose fragments have a degree of polymerization (DP) of at least about 35.

Abstract: Disclosed are a fluid absorber, a method for preparing a fluid absorber, and a method for absorbing fluid from the skin. The disclosed method for preparing a fluid absorber generally comprises the steps of selecting a starch and an enzyme for hydrolysis of the starch, determining a fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level for the starch, and ezymatically hydrolyzing the starch to approximately the optimum level thus determined. The starch alternatively may be hydrolyzed with acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst. The disclosed method for absorbing fluid from the skin includes the step of applying a fluid absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber thus prepared. Absorption properties of the fluid absorber of the invention are comparable to or exceed those of commercially available skin fluid absorbers, such as talc and unmodified corn starch.

Abstract: Mutant glycosidase enzymes are formed in which the normal nucleophilic amino acid within the active site has been changed to a nonnucleophilic amino acid. These enzymes cannot hydrolyze disaccharide products, but which can still form them. Using this enzyme, oligosaccharides are synthesized by preparing a mixture of an &agr;glycosyl fluoride and a glycoside acceptor molecule; enzymatically coupling the &agr.glycosyl fluoride to the glycoside acceptor molecule to form a glycosyl glycoside product using the mutant glycosidase enzyme; and recovering the glycosyl glycoside product. Particular enzymes include a mutant form of Agrobacterium &bgr.Glucosidase in which the normal glutamic acid residue at position 358 is replaced with an alanine residue.

Abstract: Disclosed are a fluid absorber, a method for preparing a fluid absorber, and a method for absorbing fluid from the skin. The disclosed method for preparing a fluid absorber generally comprises the steps of selecting a starch and an enzyme for hydrolysis of the starch, determining a fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level for the starch, and ezymatically hydrolyzing the starch to approximately the optimum level thus determined. The starch alternatively may be hydrolyzed with acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst. The disclosed method for absorbing fluid from the skin includes the step of applying a fluid absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber thus prepared. Absorption properties of the fluid absorber of the invention are comparable to or exceed those of commercially available skin fluid absorbers, such as talc and unmodified corn starch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for economically producing N-acetylneuraminic acid without using expensive materials such as pyruvic acid and phosphoenolpyruvic acid. The process comprises: allowing (i) a culture of a microorganism having N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase activity or N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase activity, or a treated matter of the culture, (ii) a culture of a microorganism capable of producing pyruvic acid or a treated matter of the culture, or a culture of a microorganism capable of producing phosphoenolpyruvic acid or a treated matter of the culture, (iii) N-acetylmannosamine, and (iv) an energy source which is necessary for the formation of pyruvic acid or phosphoenolpyruvic acid to be present in an aqueous medium to form and accumulate N-acetylneuraminic acid in the aqueous medium; and recovering N-acetylneuraminic acid from the aqueous medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to matrix-forming amylose products for programmed release systems and a process for the preparation thereof. These amylose products have a dextrose equivalent (DE) of 5 to 10, a content of long-chain amylose of 20 to 40 wt. % on dry substance, a content of short-chain amylose of 40 to 80 wt. % on dry substance and a specific surface area of 0.4 to less than 1.0 m2/g.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant DNA molecule which comprises genes for biosynthesizing acarbose and homologous pseudo-oligosaccharides; to oligonucleotide primers for the PCR amplification of the molecule; to proteins which can be obtained by expressing the genes located on a molecule; to vectors and host cells which comprise the above-mentioned DNA molecule; to proteins which are encoded by the DNA molecule; to proteins which are expressed by means of said vectors in said host cells; to processes for preparing acarbose by introducing the characterized genes into appropriate host organisms and/or eliminating these genes from the host organisms; to processes for completing the gene cluster of genes for biosynthesizing acarbose, to processes for isolating analogous gene clusters in organisms other than Streptomyces glaucescens GLA.

Abstract: The invention describes DNA molecules which code for plant proteins having the biological activity of a debranching enzyme. Furthermore described are transgenic plant cells and plants having reduced or increased debranching enzyme activity, as well as modified starch isolatable from the cells and plants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing resistant starch, the resistant starch obtainable from this process and use thereof.

Abstract: The cyclic tetrasaccharide, cyclo{-6)-&agr;-D-Glcp-(1,3)-&agr;-D-Glcp-(1,6)-&agr;-D-Glcp-(1,3)-&agr;-D-Glcp-(1-}, may be produced by alternanase hydrolysis of complex carbohydrates other than alternan. Panose, pullulan, &agr;-D-Glcp-(1,6)-&agr;-D-Glcp-(1,3)-D-Glc, and D-glucans having alternating &agr;-(1,6) and &agr;-(1,4) linkages, are all hydrolyzed by alternanase to produce this cyclic tetrasaccharide. In this process, the cyclic tetrasaccharide is produced by contacting a solution of one or more of the above-mentioned complex carbohydrates with an amount of alternanase under conditions effective for activity of the enzyme. The substrate panose used in the reaction may be produced from a variety of polysaccharides or oligosaccharides, including starch, maltose, maltodextrins, pullulan, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a starch conversion process of the type which includes a debranching step wherein an isoamylase being active at the process conditions prevailing is used for debranching the starch and to the use of thermostable isoamylases for starch conversion. The invention further relates to an isolated isoamylase obtained from a strain of the genus Rhodothermus and to cloned DNA sequences encoding isoamylases derived from a strain of Rhodothermus or Sulfolobus, to expression vectors comprising said DNA sequence, host cells comprising such expression vectors, and finally to methods for producing said isoamylases.

Abstract: The invention relates to matrix-forming amylose products for programmed release systems and a process for the preparation thereof. These amylose products have a dextrose equivalent (DE) of 5 to 10, a content of long-chain amylose of 20 to 40 wt. % on dry substance, a content of short-chain amylose of 40 to 80 wt. % on dry substance and a specific surface area of 0.4 to less than 1.0 m2/g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of saccharide preparations, i.e., syrups, by saccharifying a liquefied starch solution, which method comprises a saccharification step during which step one or more enzymatic saccharification stages takes place, and the subsequent steps of one or more high temperature membrane separation steps, and re-circulation of the saccharification enzyme, in which method the membrane separation steps are carried out as an integral part of the saccharification step. In another specific aspect, the invention provides a method of producing a saccharide preparation, which method comprises an enzymatic saccharification step, and the subsequent steps of one or more high temperature membrane separation steps and re-circulation of the saccharification enzyme.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a glucose syrup wherein starch is treated with a Termamyl-like &agr;-amylase comprising a substitution in Val54 shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 or in the corresponding position in another Termamyl-like &agr;-amylase. The invention also relates to a glucose syrup obtainable by the process of the invention and the use thereof as ingredient in food products. An object of the invention is also to provide for the use of a Termamyl-like &agr;-amylase with a substitution in position Val54 using SEQ ID NO: 2 as the backbone or a corresponding position in another Termamyl-like &agr;-amylase for preparing glucose syrup.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a maltose-rich syrup, comprising the successive stages consisting of: (a) carrying out a liquefaction of a starch milk; (b) carrying out a saccharification of the liquefied starch milk in the presence of a maltogenic &agr;-amylase; (c) continuing the saccharification of the liquefied starch milk in the presence of a &bgr;-amylase and at least one debranching enzyme chosen from the group consisting of pullulanases and isoamylases with a view to obtaining a syrup which is rich in maltose.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel amylase which mainly forms maltohexaose and maltoheptaose when acts on starch, but does not substantially hydrolyze maltohexaose and a lower molecular oligosaccharide than maltohexaose. The amylase can be prepared from microorganisms of the genus Alcaligenes, and has a relatively-high optimum temperature and thermal stability, as well as a relatively-wide range of optimum pH and pH stability. By using the amylase, saccharide compositions rich in maltohexaose and/or maltoheptaose or those rich in maltohexaitol and/or maltoheptaitol can be readily prepared in an industrial scale, and the saccharide compositions thus obtained can be used in a variety of food products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: Disclosed is the use of amylopectin potato starch obtained from potatoes whose amylose formation is inhibited through breeding, or through genetic engineering or other molecular biological processes, as starting material for a process for production of cyclodextrin from potato starch by reaction with cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase. This starch starting material combines the positive effects of natural amylopectin starch with those of potato starch and is distinguished, among other properties, through low lipid and protein content and therefore higher purity. The yield of cyclodextrins is surprisingly high. In this way cyclodextrin can be produced at much lower cost than previously and can therefore be used for the first time on a larger scale in technical processes.