An overview of the enzyme: Amylase and its industrial potentials

Amylases are group of enzymes produced by plants, animals and microorganisms, the enzyme has the ability to hydrolyze or degrade starch molecules into polymers containing units of glucose, thus, it is one of the most useful enzymes used by industries dependent on starch in their production processes. The enzyme has varying applications in food, fermentation, textile, pharmaceutical industries among others. Generally, amylase from microbial sources (i.e. fungal and bacterial origin) has over shadowed others in industrial usage. As such, this Paper aimed at reviewing amylase enzyme as a whole and some of its common industrial applications. The review visited the types of amylase based on hydrolases classification, its sources with emphasis to microorganisms, methods of production as well as effects of some chemical and physical parameters. The review also discusses some of the most common industrial application or uses of amylase enzyme in food, brewing, chemicals, paper, pharmaceutical, textile industries to mention but few. In conclusion, the reviewers suggest the use of microbial amylase due to it easy and simple technique in production, lower capital investment, lower energy requirement and high yield during production, exploration of more microbes with enzyme production potentials as well as improved industrial Scale production of the amylase for the betterment of the economy and improved industrial production of products. Key: Amylase, Application, Enzyme, Industry, Microbes and Starch.