High purity maltose process and products

Abstract

Maltose products are prepared by hydrolyzing starch with an enzyme that consists essentially of a beta-amylase enzyme. The product thus prepared may be spray dried, or a high purity maltose product may be obtained therefrom via ultrafiltration. The high purity maltose product has a low content of glucose and saccharides in the DP 3-10 range.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for preparing a high maltose product, comprising: 
 treating a starch with an enzyme that consists essentially of a beta-amylase enzyme under conditions suitable to form a product mixture that includes maltose and at least one higher molecular weight carbohydrate; and    recovering a maltose-rich fraction from said product mixture via ultrafiltration of said product mixture, thereby at least substantially separating maltose from said higher molecular weight carbohydrate.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , said product mixture being a liquid product mixture that contains retrograded amylose, the method further comprising allowing at least a portion of said retrograded amylose to crystallize from said mixture; and 
 separating the crystallized retrograded amylose from said mixture.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 liquefying said starch with an alpha-amylase enzyme; and    quenching said alpha amylase enzyme prior to treating said starch with said beta-amylase enzyme.    
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , said maltose-rich fraction comprising at least 85% maltose by weight by dry solids basis.  
     
     
         5 . The maltose-rich fraction prepared by the method of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , said maltose-rich fraction comprising at least 90% maltose by weight by dry solids basis.  
     
     
         7 . The maltose-rich fraction prepared by the method of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , said maltose-rich fraction comprising at least 95% maltose by weight by dry solids basis.  
     
     
         9 . The maltose-rich fraction prepared by the method of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         10 . A method for preparing a spray-dried maltose product, comprising: 
 treating a starch with an enzyme that consists essentially of a beta-amylase enzyme under conditions suitable to form a product mixture that includes maltose and at least one high molecular weight carbohydrate; and    spray-drying said product mixture.    
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , said product mixture being a liquid product mixture that contains retrograded amylose, the method further comprising: 
 allowing at least a portion of said retrograded amylose to crystallize from said product mixture; and    separating the crystallized retrograded amylose from said product mixture prior to spray drying said product mixture.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising 
 liquefying said starch with an alpha amylase enzyme; and    quenching said alpha amylase enzyme prior to treating said starch with said beta amylase enzyme.    
     
     
         13 . The spray dried product prepared in accordance with  claim 10 .  
     
     
         14 . A maltose product comprising: 
 at least 70% maltose by weight by dry solids basis and at least 20% by weight by dry solids basis of a carbohydrate having a DP greater than 10, said maltose product being provided by a process comprising: 
 treating a starch with an enzyme that consists essentially of a beta-amylase enzyme under conditions suitable to form a product mixture that includes at least 70% maltose by dry solids basis.  
   
     
     
         15 . A maltose product comprising: 
 at least 30% maltose by weight by dry solids basis and    0-10% by weight by dry solids basis combined glucose and oligosaccharides having DP ranging from 3-10, said maltose product being provided by a process comprising: 
 treating a starch with an enzyme that consists essentially of a beta-amylase enzyme under conditions suitable to form a product mixture that includes at least 30% maltose by dry solids basis.  
   
     
     
         16 . A maltose product according to  claim 15 , said maltose product including at least 50% by weight by dry solids basis maltose.  
     
     
         17 . A maltose product according to  claim 15 , said maltose product including at least 65% by weight by dry solids basis maltose  
     
     
         18 . A maltose product according to  claim 15 , said maltose product including at least 70% by weight by dry solids basis maltose.  
     
     
         19 . A method for preparing a maltose product, comprising: 
 initiating treatment of a starch with an enzyme that consists essentially of a beta-amylase enzyme under conditions suitable to form a product mixture that includes maltose, and    quenching said enzyme when the maltose content of said product has reached a desired level, said quenching occurring after a reaction time, said reaction time being determined based on a predetermined correlation between reaction times and maltose contents for said enzyme and said starch.    
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , further comprising making an empirical determination of said correlation between reaction times and maltose contents.  
     
     
         21 . A method for preparing a maltose product, comprising 
 providing an amylose-containing starch;    liquefying said starch; and    treating such starch with an enzyme that consists essentially of a beta-amylase enzyme under conditions suitable to form a product mixture that includes at least 30% maltose by dry solids basis,    said liquefaction being performed under conditions suitable to render said starch at least substantially liquid at the temperature at which said starch is treated with said beta-amylase enzyme while resulting in a product mixture in which the combined content of glucose and oligosaccharides having a DP ranging from 3-10 is not greater than 10%.    
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , said maltose product including at least 65% maltose by weight by dry solids basis.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 21 , in which the combined content of glucose and oligosaccharides having a DP ranging from 3-10 is not greater than 5%.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein said starch is liquefied to a dextrose equivalent of between 0 and 1.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein said starch is liquefied to an extent whereby the viscosity of said starch ranges from 25-45 centipoise (Shell Cup) at the temperature at which said starch is treated with said beta-amylase enzyme.  
     
     
         26 . The product prepared by the method of  claim 21.