Designing a high‐concentration (50%, w/w) maltodextrin saccharification process is a green method to increase the productivity of maltose syrup.

In this study, a temperature‐mediated two‐step process using β‐amylase and pullulanase was investigated as a strategy to improve the efficiency of saccharification. During the saccharification process, both pullulanase addition time and temperature adjustment greatly impacted the final maltose yield. These results indicated that an appropriate β‐amylolysis in the first stage (the first 8 h) was required to facilitate saccharification process, with the maltose yield of 8.46% greater than that of the single step saccharification. Molecular structure analysis further demonstrated that a relatively low temperature (50 °C), as compared with a normal temperature (60 °C), in the first stage resulted in a greater number of chains polymerized by at least seven glucose units and a less heterogeneity system within the residual substrate. The molecular structure of the residual substrate might be beneficial for the subsequent cooperation between β‐amylase and pullulanase in the following 40 h (second stage).

Over a 48 h saccharification, the temperature‐mediated two‐step process dramatically increased the conversion rate of maltodextrin and yielded significantly more maltose and less byproduct, as compared with a constant‐temperature process. The two‐step saccharification process therefore offered an efficient and green strategy for maltose syrup production in industry. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry