Amylase (Starch-Degrading Enzyme) — Hidden Processing Agent — Is It Vegan?

Vegan status: Vegan

Also known as: Alpha-amylase, Beta-amylase, Diastase, E1100

Source

Produced primarily by microbial fermentation — from Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus oryzae, or Aspergillus niger. Also present naturally in saliva and malt barley. Microbial and malt-derived amylase are vegan.

Used in

Bread baking (improves crust colour, crumb structure, and shelf life), beer brewing (converts starch to fermentable sugars), glucose syrup production, paper manufacturing, textile desizing.

Appears on label: No. Listed as 'alpha-amylase', 'amylase', or 'enzyme' in bread ingredient lists. Often not declared when used as a processing aid below carry-over levels.

How to avoid

No need to avoid — microbial and malt amylase are vegan.

Notes

Amylase is one of the most extensively used industrial enzymes globally. In bread baking, added fungal amylase supplementation is now standard in commercial baking — it improves dough handling, bread volume, and extends shelf life by slowing staling. Malt (from germinated barley) contains naturally occurring beta-amylase and is a traditional, vegan-friendly amylase source in brewing.