Abstract

The method employed in the Government Malt Factory for the production of malt extract was by germinating cholam (Sorghum durra). Since the malted cholam contains comparatively little of the enzyme amylase, only about 20 per cent of the starch contained in the cholam grain is recovered as sugar (maltose). This tells on the cost of production of malt extract, besides the cost involved in the malting process whore controlled conditions of temperature, humidity, constant attention etc., are necessary, for which special equipments in the form of air-conditioned couching chambers have to be maintained. It has long been known that the fungus Aspergillus oryzae contains an enzyme of high diastatic power and, therefore, investigations on the enzymatic studies on Aspergillus oryzae were carried out to see its applic- ability to the production of malt extract. Because of its high sacchari- fying power (nearly four times that of malted cholam) it was hoped, that if a method was developed for the utilization of fungal diastase, the cost of production could be reduced considerably.

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