diastase

A diastase (; from Greek διάστασις, 'separation') is any one of a group of enzymes that catalyses the breakdown of starch into maltose. Alpha amylase degrades starch to a mixture of the disaccharide maltose; the trisaccharide maltotriose, which contains three α (1-4)-linked glucose residues; and oligosaccharides, known as dextrins, that contain the α (1-6)-linked glucose branches.Diastase was the first enzyme discovered. It was extracted from malt solution in 1833 by Anselme Payen and Jean-François ...