Comparison Between Granular Starch Hydrolyzing Enzyme and Conventional Enzymes for Ethanol Production from Maize Starch with Different Amylose: Amylopectin Ratios

Abstract The effect of enzyme treatments (granular starch hydrolyzing and conventional enzymes) and different amylose: amylopectin ratios of maize starch on ethanol production was evaluated. For starch treatments, amylose: amylopectin ratios were prepared by mixing commercially available Hylon VII (70% amylose and 30% amylopectin) and Amioca (˜100% amylopectin) starches. For maize treatments, waxy, high amylose and regular dent hybrids were used to represent varying amylose: amylopectin ratios. All hydrolyses followed by fermentations were conducted at 15% solids content. Differences were observed in ethanol yields among granular starch hydrolyzing and conventional enzymes. Differences also were observed in ethanol yields between different amylose: amylopectin ratios for pure starch and maize samples. For starch samples, final ethanol concentrations varied from 2.2 to 9.1% (v/v) for fermentation with granular starch hydrolyzing enzyme and from 6.7 to 9.3% (v/v) for conventional enzymes. Higher ethanol concentrations were observed for Amioca starch for both enzymes. For maize samples, final ethanol concentrations were highest for waxy maize for both granular starch hydrolyzing (8.2%, v/v) and conventional (8.2%, v/v) enzymes. Lowest ethanol concentrations were observed for high‐amylose maize samples for granular starch hydrolyzing (6.3%, v/v) and conventional (5.2%, v/v) enzymes.