Amylase testing has been used as a presumptive test for crime scene saliva for over three decades,mainly
to locate saliva stains on surfaces.We have developed a saliva screening application for crime scene trace
swabs, utilising an amylase sensitive paper (Phadebas1 Forensic Press test). Positive results were
obtained for all tested dried saliva stains (0.5–32 mL) with high or intermediate amylase activity (840
and 290 kU/L). Results were typically obtained within 5 min, and all samples that produced DNA profiles
were positive. However, salivary amylase activities, as well as DNA concentrations, vary significantly
between individuals. We show that there is no correlation between amylase activity and amount of DNA
in fresh saliva. Even so, a positive amylase result indicates presence of saliva, and thereby presence of
DNA. Amylase testingmay be useful for screening in investigations where the number of DNA analyses is
limited due to cost, e.g., in volume crime.