A MODIFICATION OF THE SANDSTEDT, KNEEN AND BLISH ASSAY OF α-AMYLASE

Abstract

The Sandstedt, Kneen & Blish method for the assay of α-amylase uses as a measure of enzyme activity the reciprocal of the time taken for a standard decrease to occur in the starch-iodine blue colour of an incubation mixture containing a large quantity of added β-amylase. This method has been modified so that a photoelectric colorimeter is employed in conjunction with a standard graph. The precision of the method is thereby Improved and the work needed for each assay reduced. The principles involved could easily be applied to other enzyme assays.