A KINETIC STUDY OF THE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ENZYMIC HYDROLYSIS OF STARCH IN MALT

Finely-ground malt was held in suspension in water for various times at given temperatures and measurements were then made of the susceptibility of starch to enzymic hydrolysis. The results were used to determine first-order rate constants for the process of conversion of starch to the susceptible form. The variation of rate constant with temperature was satisfactorily described by the Arrhenius relationship with an activation energy of 8·06 × 10⁴ cal/mole and a frequency factor of 6·73 × 10⁵³ min^?1. The variation of the extent of conversion with temperature was adequately described by a cumulative normal relationship with a mean of 49·8°C and a standard deviation of 5·79°C.