Assay for lactase activity
pH4.5Acetate buffer
Dilute 57.5mLof glacial acetic acid with sufficient water to make 500mLof solution.Transfer 50mLof the glacial acetic acid solution into a 1000-mLvolumetric flask,add 11.3mLof 4Nsodium hydroxide,and dilute with water to volume.If necessary,adjust with the addition of either the glacial acetic acid solution or 4Nsodium hydroxide to a pHof 4.50±0.05.
Substrate solution
On the day of use,weigh 370.0mg of o-nitrophenyl-b-D-galactopyranoside,and place in a 100-mLvolumetric flask.Add about 50mLof pH4.5Acetate buffer,swirl to dissolve,then dilute with pH4.5Acetate bufferto volume.
Standard preparation
Transfer about 0.4g of
USP Lactase RS,accurately weighed,to a 1000-mLvolumetric flask.Add about 600mLof water,allow to stand for 15minutes,swirl gently,and dilute with water to volume.Pipet 3.0mLof this solution into a 200-mLvolumetric flask,and dilute with water to volume.
Assay preparation
Transfer an accurately weighed quantity of about 0.4g of Lactase to a 1000-mLvolumetric flask.Add about 600mLof water,allow to stand for 15minutes,swirl gently,and dilute with water to volume.Pipet 3.0mLof this solution into a 200-mLvolumetric flask,and dilute with water to volume.
Procedure
Transfer 2.0mLof the
Substrate solutionto 3separate test tubes labeled S,U,and B.Transfer the tubes to a thermostated water bath maintained at 37.0±0.1

,and incubate for 10minutes.Following the incubation,add rapidly to tube S,0.5mLof the
Standard preparation,to tube U,0.5mLof the
Assay preparation,and to tube B(the reagent blank),0.5mLof water.Mix each tube on a vortex mixer for 1second,and immediately return the tubes to the water bath,which has been maintained at 37.0±0.1

.After 15minutes of incubation,rapidly add 2.5mLof a 10%sodium carbonate solution to each test tube to stop the enzyme reaction.Add 20.0mLof water to each test tube,and mix.Concomitantly determine the absorbances of the three solutions at 420nm in a 1-cm cell using a suitable spectrophotometer (see
Spectrophotometry á851ñ).Calculate the number of USP Lactase Units of the Lactase taken by the formula:
(P)(WS/WU)(AU-AB)/(AS-AB),
in which
Pis the potency of
USP Lactase RSin USP Units per g;
WSis the amount,in g,of
USP Lactase RStaken;
WUis the amount,in g,of the Lactase taken;and
AUis the absorbance reading of tube U,
ABis the absorbance reading of tube B,and
ASis the absorbance reading of tube S.