ABSTRACT
Starch is the second main carbohydrate synthesized by plants via photosynthesis. This substance is entirely composed by β-D-glucose and is also an essential energy source for most organisms. Enzymes involved in the starch degrading process are called amylases or amylolytic enzymes. Amylases are responsible for carbon recycling present in starchy polysaccharides in general, and play an important role in the food industries. According to Glazer and Nikaido (1995), besides the food industry, amylases are used in textile industries for removing the starch paste applied to the yarn in order to increase its resistance to friction during processing. They can also be used in the paper industry for reducing the viscosity of the starch solution applied during its processing. Amylases can also be used in detergent formulas to partly refrain its aggressiveness on wood and porcelain (Gupta et al. 2003).
