Physicochemical properties and storage stability of spray‐dried soya bean sprout extract

Amylase is a very important enzyme due to its wide food applications. To preserve amylase activity in soya bean sprout extract (SSE), SSEs were spray‐dried with 10% maltodextrin and 0–3% alginic acids, and their physicochemical properties and storage stability were compared with freeze‐dried one. SSE exhibited maximum amylase activity at pH 7.0 and 60 °C, with the most active substrate specificity towards soluble starch. Spray‐dried SSEs exhibited higher water solubility index (WSI) and in vitro relative amylase activity but lower water vapour sorption (WVS) and smaller particle size than freeze‐dried SSE. For spray‐dried SSEs, particle size, WSI and in vitro relative amylase activity increased while WVS decreased with increasing % alginic acid. This study demonstrated that spray drying of SSE, especially with 10% maltodextrin and 2% alginic acid, was effective in keeping amylase active and stable during 7‐week storage at room temperature (25 °C).