Enzymatic release of ferulic acid fromIpomoea batatas L. (sweet potato) stem

Ferulic acid is a phenolic compound that serves as a major biosynthetic precursor of vanillin in higher plants. We investigated the ability of the 3 commercial enzymes—Ultraflo L, Viscozyme L, and α-Amylase—to induce the release ferulic acid from theIpomoea batatas L. (sweet potato) stem. The rate of release for ferulic acid was optimal when Ultraflo L (1.0%) was used compared with the other enzymes, whereas Viscozyme L was most effective for the release of vanillic acid and vanillin. Thus, these enzymes may be useful for the large-scale production of ferulic acid and other phenolic compounds from sweet potato stem.