Continuous Starch Saccharification by Glucoamylase Through In-Line Static Mixer Reactor Following Liquefaction

Abstract

Starch saccharification by glucoamylase following liquefaction, has completely been done efficiently within 52 s by hydrolysis of dextrin through an In-Line Static Mixer Reactor (ISMR)ใ Saccharification through ISMR took at least 23 h shorter time when compared to a conventional saccharification method using a stirred tank reactor. Starch at concentrations of 25% and 32% w/v was hydrolysed by α-amylase through 12.6 m ISMR at a flow rate of 15 mL/min to generate dextrin solutions for further saccharification. Dextrin solutions were saccharified by glucoamylase at 65 oC at flow rates of 20 mL/min and 40 mL/min and different tube lengths up to 12.6 m. The saccharification at a flow rate of 20 mL/min with the longest tube of 12.6 m gave the highest sugar concentration and Dextrose Equivalent (DE) value because this condition possessed the longest reaction residence time of 52.06 min. The reducing sugar concentrations of 182.77 mg/mL with an DE value of 84.36 and 299.01 mg/mL with an DE of 98.06 were obtained from saccharification of dextrin solutions from the initial starch at concentration of 25% and 32% w/v, respectively. The viscosity of the sugar mixtures during saccharification reduced as a function of tube length and of hydrolysis time. This ISMR was essentially shown an excellent performance with scaleable potential for the the commercial production of sugar from sugar dextrin saccharification.