The application of biotechnological processes in the production and modification of foods, food additives and food ingredients by the local industry is still a relatively new field. However, food biotechnology has many advantages as it involves natural processes for the enhancement of the products. Thus there is good potential for research in food biotechnology to address the needs of the local food industry. This programme utilises selected microbial cultures for the production of enzymes, which in turn will be applied for the diversification and improvement of the selected substrate.

The programme will concentrate on the technoogy for the production of two high-cost amylolytic enzymes, namely pullulanase and CGTase, which will then be applied for the production of value added products. The main substrate that will be used is sago starch. The programme will also address the main problem faced by the industries using sago starch for fermentation processes at present, that is the problem of non-starch polysaccharides. This will help to increase the efficiency and yield of the processes. All the research proposed is targetted towards improving the utilisation of sago starch which will be the basis for the establishment of food and related industries using it as the main raw material.

To achieve these objectives, four projects will be carried out. These are :
1. Production of pullulanase and CTGase by local strains using sago starch as substrate
2. Production of partially hydrolysed sago starch using amylolytic enzymes for use as intermediate substrate for cyclodextrin production
3. Utilization of amylolytic enzymes for the production of modified starches and their products
4. Evaluation and modification of non-starch polysaccharides (NDP) in sago starch

 

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Project Title:
The production and application of starch degrading enzymes for
the enhancement of sago starch utilization

 

The programme involves the collaboration between 3 organisations, namely, MARDI, UPM and UKM. A number of outputs are projected including new knowledge involving the production of enzymes by local microorganisms, technology for the production of cyclodextrin and modified starches and their products, as well as information on the NSP constituents in sago and technologies for improving the efficiency of utilisation of sago starch. At the same time it is expected that a number of post-graduate students at both the M.Sc and PhD. levels will be trained in this area, and relevant publications will be produced. Skills and expertise of all the researchers involved in the programme will also be enhanced.

Period of the project : 3 Years (2001 - 2004)

Achievements

Progress/Achievements for year one

New product
· A total of 32 bacterial strains with pullulanase positive and 46 strains with Cgtase positive have been isolated.
· Sago starch had been separated into two components i.e. amylose and amylopectin.
· Chemical analysis of sago starch are as follow: moisture 5.5%, protein 0.5%, fat 0.3%, starch 70% and amylose 20.3%.

New process
· Optimization, in term of the concentration of each nutrient added to the media, is carried out using surface response methodology.
· Monospore isolation and mutation technique were used to identify and improve up to 15 U/L pullulanase.