Any of a group of closely related enzymes that degrade starch, glycogen, and other polysaccharides. Plants contain both α‎- and β‎-amylases; the name diastase is given to the component of malt containing β‎-amylase, important in the brewing industry. Animals possess only α‎-amylases, found in pancreatic juice (as pancreatic amylase) and also (in humans and some other species) in saliva (as salivary amylase or ptyalin). Amylases cleave the glycosidic bonds of the long polysaccharide chains, producing a mixture of glucose and maltose.