Abstract

Enzymes are substances produced by a living organism which acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction. Amylases are a class of hydrolytic enzymes, widely spread in nature having varied application in different industrial processes and constitute a class of industrial enzymes. Fungal amylases have been widely used for the preparation of oriental foods. In spite of the wide distribution of amylases in nature, fungal amylases are used for industrial production due to advantages such as cost effectiveness, consistency, less time and space required for production and generally regarded as safe (GRAS). Due to the increasing demand for these enzymes in various industries, there is enormous interest in developing enzymes with better properties such as raw starch degrading amylases suitable for industrial applications. Penicillium and Aspergillus produces a large variety of extracellular enzymes, of which amylases and proteases are of significant industrial importance and serve in the production of a number of biotechnologically produced enzymes.

Key words: α-Amylase, Penicillium, Aspergillus, enzyme, hydrolytic.