Abstract:The enzymatic preparation of Perilla seed meal microcrystalline cellulose (PSM-MCC) was optimized, and its structure and properties were characterized. Response surface methodology was used to determine the optimal conditions for enzymatic preparation of PSM-MCC from Perilla seed meal cellulose (PSM-CL). The physicochemical and functional characteristics of PSM-MCC were studied. PSM-MCC was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The optimum conditions for preparing PSM-MCC using cellulase are as follows: pH at 5.0, PSM-CL to water ratio of 1:20 g/mL, enzyme addition of 0.4% (m/m), hydrolysis temperature at 55 ℃, and reaction time of 3 h. Under these conditions, the yield of PSM-MCC equals 90.74%, and the degree of polymerization reaches 134. Impurities such as lignin in PSM-MCC are removed, with an increase in crystallinity from 49.39% to 61.37%. Compared with PSM-CL, PSM-MCC prepared through hydrolysis by cellulase exhibits better thermal stability, with a smaller diameter of 48.26 μm. In addition, its surface is porous and shows a layered structure. PSM-MCC prepared through enzymatic hydrolysis has excellent properties and meets national standards, and it is expected to be used in many fields, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and composite materials.