Process for converting granular starch to dextrose

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR DIRECTLY CONVERTING GRANULAR STARCH TO A SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE, COMPRISING: A. AGITATING A MIXTURE OF GRANULAR STARCH, WATER, AND A ALPHA-AMYLASE ENZYME PREPRATION AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM THE NORMAL INITIAL GELATINIZATION TEM TURE OF THE STARCH TO THE ACTUAL GELATINIZATION TEMPERATURE OF THE STARCH, MAINTAINING SAID CONDITIONS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME TO CONVERT AT LEAST ABOUT 10% OF THE STARCH TO A SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLYSATE, B. ADJUSTING THE TEMPERATURE TO WITHIN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 50*C. TO ABOUT 65*C. AND THE PH TO WITHIN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 4.0 TO ABOUT 4.8 AND ADDING A GLUCOAMYLASE ENZYME PREPARATION TO ENZYMATICALLY SACCHARIFY AND FURTHER CONVERT THE SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLSATE TO A SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE, AND C. RECOVERING FROM SAID MIXTURE THE SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROYLSTATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE, WHEREBY ANY RESIDUAL, NON-SOLUBLE STARCH HAS SUBSTANTIALLY RETAINED ITS GRANULAR, UNGELATINIZED FORM.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1, wherein the starch is corn starch.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1, wherein the concentration of starch is from about 5% to about 40%, by weight.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1, wherein the concentration of the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is from about 0.1 unit to about 25 units of activity per gram of starch.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1, wherein the amount of glucoamylase used in step (b) is such as to provide from about 0.05 to about 5.0 units of activity per gram of starch.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a Bacillus organism.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1, wherein the glucoamylase used in step (b) is derived from a fungal source.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1, wherein the glucoamylase used in step (b) is derived from an Aspergillus niger organism.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1, wherein the glulcoamylase used in step (b) is derived from an organism of the Rhizopus genus.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a Bacillus subtillus organism.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a Bacillus licheniformis organism.

Claim 13

The process of claim 1, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a strain of the Bacillus licheniformis organism selected from the group consisting of NCIB 8061, NCIB 8059, ATCC 6598, ATCC 6634, ATCC 8480, ATCC 9445A and ATCC 11945.

Claim 14

The process of claim 1, wherein the mixture of granular starch, water, and alpha-amylase contains from about 0.01% to about 1.0% or an anionic surfactant.

Claim 15

The process of claim 1, wherein prior to the solubilization in step (a) the alpha-amylase is aded to the granular starch and water at a temperature equal to or lower than the initial gelatinization temperature of the starch to produce hydrolysate products in the mixture and thereafter the mixture is heated to a temperature of from about 60*C. to the actual gelatinization temperature of the starch.

Claim 16

The process of claim 1, wherein the starch is corn starch and the solubilization and conversion in step (a) is conducted at a temperature in the range of from about 60*C. to about 80*C.

Claim 17

The process of claim 1, wherein the starch is corn starch and the solubilization and conversion in step (a) is conducted at a temperature of from about 60*C. to about 75*C.

Claim 18

The process of claim 1, wherein the residual, non-soluble starch is recycled.

Claim 19

A process for directed converting granular starch to a soluble starch hydrolysate containing dextrose, comprising: a. agitating a mixture of granular starch, water, an alpha-amylase enzyme preparation and a glucoamylase enzyme preparation at a temperature in the range from the normal initial gelatinization temperature of the starch to the actual gelatinization temperature of the starch, maintaining said conditions for a period of time to convert at least about 10% of the starch to a soluble starch hydrolysate, b. adjusting the temperature to within the range from about 50*C. to about 65*C. and the pH to within the range from about 4.0 to about 4.8 and adding more glucoamylase enzyme preparation to enzymatically saccharify and further convert the soluble starch hydrolysate to a soluble starch hydrolysate containing dextrose, and c. recovering from said mixture the soluble starch hydrolysate containing dextrose, whereby any residual, non-soluble starch has substantially retained its granular, ungelatinized form.

Claim 20

A process for directed converting granular starch to a soluble starch hydrolysate containing dextrose, comprising: a. agitating a mixture of granular starch, water, an alpha-amylase enzyme preparation and a glucoamylase enzyme preparation at a temperature in the range from the normal initial gelatinization temperature of the starch to the actual gelatinization temperature of the starch, maintaining said conditions for a period of time to convert at least about 10% of the starch to a soluble starch hydrolysate, b. adjusting the temperature to within the range from about 50*C. to about 65*C. and the pH to within the range from about 4.0 to about 4.8 and adding more glucoamylase enzyme preparation to enzymatically saccharify and further convert the soluble starch hydrolysate to a soluble starch hydrolysate containing dextrose, and c. recovering from said mixture the soluble starch hydrolysate containing dextrose, whereby any residual, non-soluble starch has substantially retained its granular, ungelatinized form.

Claim 21

The process of claim 18 wherein the starch is corn starch.

Claim 22

The process of claim 18, wherein the concentration of starch is from about 5% to about 40%, by weight.

Claim 23

The process of claim 18, wherein the concentration of the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is from about 0.1 unit to about 25 units of activity per gram of starch.

Claim 24

The process of claim 18, wherein the amount of glucoamylase used in step (b) is Such as to provide from about 0.05 to about 5.0 units of activity per gram of starch.

Claim 25

The process of claim 18, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a Bacillus organism.

Claim 26

The process of claim 18, wherein the glucoamylase used in step (b) is derived from a fungal source.

Claim 27

The process of claim 18, wherein the glucoamylase used in step (b) is derived from an Aspergillus niger organism.

Claim 28

The process of claim 18, wherein the glucoamylase used in step (b) is derived from an organism of the Rhizopus genus.

Claim 29

The process of claim 18, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a Bacillus subtillus organism.

Claim 30

The process of claim 18, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a Bacillus licheniformis organism.

Claim 31

The process of claim 18, wherein the alpha-amylase used in step (a) is derived from a strain of the Bacillus licheniformis organism selected from the group consisting of NCIB 8061, NC1B 8059, ATCC 6598, ATCC 6634, ATCC 8480, ATCC 9545A and ATCC 11945.

Claim 32

The process of claim 18, wherein the mixture of granular starch, water, and alpha-amylase contains from about 0.01% to about 1.0% of an anionic surfactant.

Claim 33

The process of claim 18, wherein prior to the solubilization in step (a) the alpha-amylase is added to the granular starch and water at a temperature equal to or lower than the initial gelatinization temperature of the starch to produce hydrolysate products in the mixture and thereafter the mixture is heated to a temperature of from about 60*C. to the actual gelatinization temperature of the starch.

Claim 34

The process of claim 18, wherein the starch is corn starch and the solubilization and conversion in step (a) is conducted at a temperature in the range of from about 60*C. to about 80*C.

Claim 35

The process of claim 18, wherein the starch is corn starch and the solubilization and conversion in step (a) is conducted at a temperature of from about 60*C. to about 75*C.

Claim 36

The process of claim 18, wherein the residual, nonsoluble starch is recycled.

Claim 37

A PROCESS FOR DIRECTLY CONVERTING GRANULAR CORN STARCH TO A SOLUBLE CORN STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE COMPRISING: A. AGITATING A MIXTURE OF GRANULAR CORN STARCH, WATER, AN ALPHA-AMYLASE PREPARATION DERIVED FROM BASCILLUS LICHENIFORMIS AND A GLUCOAMYLASE ENZYME PREPRATION, WHEREIN THE STARCH IS PRESENT AT A CONCENTRATION IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 10% TO ABOUT 30% BY WEIGHT OF THE MIXTURE, THE ALPHA-AMYLASE IS PRESENT IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 1.0 TO ABOUT 10 UNITS OF ACTIVITY PER GRAM OF CORN STARCH, AND THE GLUCOAMYLASE IS PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT SUCH AS TO PROVIDE FROM ABOUT 0.05 TO ABOUT 5.0 UNITS OF ACTIVITY PER GRAM OF STARCH, CONVERTING AND SOLUBILIZING THE CORN STARCH IN SAID AGITATED MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM THE NORMAL INITIAL GELATINIZATION TEMPERATURE TO THE ACTUAL GELATINIZATION TEMPERATURE OF THE CORN STARCH, AT A PH OF FROM ABOUT 4.0 TO ABOUT 7.0, MAINTAINING SAID CONDITIONS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL AT LEAST ABOUT 10% OF THE CORN STARCH IS HYDROLYZED TO A SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE, B. ADJUSTING THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 50*C. TO ABOUT 65*C. AND THE PH TO WITHIN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 4.0 TO ABOUT 4.8 AND ADDING MORE GLUCOAMYLASE ENZYME PREPARATION TO ENZYMATICALLY SACCHARIFY AND FURETHER CONVERT THE SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE, AND C. RECOVERING FROM SAID MIXTURE THE SOLUBLE CORN STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROE WHEREBY ANY RESIDUALL, NON-SOLUBLE STARCH HAS SUBSTANTIALLY RETAINED ITS GRANULAR UNGELATINIZED FORM.

Claim 38

A PROCESS FOR DIRECTLY CONVERTING GRANULAR CORN STARCH TO A SOLUBLE CORN STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE COMPRISING: A. AGITATING A MIXTURE OF GRANULAR CORN STARCH, WATER, AN ALPHA-AMYLASE PREPARATION DERIVED FROM BASCILLUS LICHENIFORMIS AND A GLUCOAMYLASE ENZYME PREPRATION, WHEREIN THE STARCH IS PRESENT AT A CONCENTRATION IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 10% TO ABOUT 30% BY WEIGHT OF THE MIXTURE, THE ALPHA-AMYLASE IS PRESENT IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 1.0 TO ABOUT 10 UNITS OF ACTIVITY PER GRAM OF CORN STARCH, AND THE GLUCOAMYLASE IS PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT SUCH AS TO PROVIDE FROM ABOUT 0.05 TO ABOUT 5.0 UNITS OF ACTIVITY PER GRAM OF STARCH, CONVERTING AND SOLUBILIZING THE CORN STARCH IN SAID AGITATED MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM THE NORMAL INITIAL GELATINIZATION TEMPERATURE TO THE ACTUAL GELATINIZATION TEMPERATURE OF THE CORN STARCH, AT A PH OF FROM ABOUT 4.0 TO ABOUT 7.0, MAINTAINING SAID CONDITIONS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL AT LEAST ABOUT 10% OF THE CORN STARCH IS HYDROLYZED TO A SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE, B. ADJUSTING THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 50*C. TO ABOUT 65*C. AND THE PH TO WITHIN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 4.0 TO ABOUT 4.8 AND ADDING MORE GLUCOAMYLASE ENZYME PREPARATION TO ENZYMATICALLY SACCHARIFY AND FURETHER CONVERT THE SOLUBLE STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROSE, AND C. RECOVERING FROM SAID MIXTURE THE SOLUBLE CORN STARCH HYDROLYSATE CONTAINING DEXTROE WHEREBY ANY RESIDUALL, NON-SOLUBLE STARCH HAS SUBSTANTIALLY RETAINED ITS GRANULAR UNGELATINIZED FORM.

Claim 39

The process of claim 35, wherein the conversion and solubilization in step (a) is conducted at a temperature in the range of from about 60*C. to about 75*C.

Claim 40

The process of claim 35, wherein an anionic surfactant is added to said agitated mixture in an amount ranging from about 0.01% to about 1.0%, by weight of the agitated mixture.

Claim 41

The process of claim 35, wherein the agitated mixture, in step (a) is first heated to a temperature of about 60*C., and in a subsequent step heated to a temperature of about 75*C. until at least about 90% of the granular corn starch is hydrolyzed.

Claim 42

The process of claim 35, wherein the conversion, solublization, and saccharification steps are conducted in an ultrafiltration cell wherein the enzyme preparation and non-soluble starch are retained in the cell and the soluble corn starch hydrolysate containing dextrose is passed through a semi-permeable membrane of said ultrafiltration cell.