Effects of rice α-glucosidase on steeping and steaming processes of sake production

Abstract

We examined the effects of α-glucosidase in rice on steeping and steaming processes of sake production. The glucose formed in the rice steeping process increased with an increase in the steeping time and steeping temperature. Miglitol, a specific inhibitor of α-glucosidase, strongly inhibited the glucose formation during steeping. The activity of α-glucosidase showed a positive correlation with the glucose formed during the steeping except at 0 hour. On the digestibility test, absorbed water content and Brix value under miglitol addition were lower than those of the control.
These results suggest that α-glucosidase in rice exerts certain effects on rice during the steeping and steaming processes.