Immobilization of fructosyltransferase by chitosan and alginate for efficient production of fructooligosaccharides

The effective system of reusing mycelial fructosyltransferase (Erase) immobilized with two polymers, chitosan and alginate were evaluated for continuous production of fructooligosaccharides (FOS). The alginate beads were successfully developed by maintaining spherical conformation of using 0.3% (w/v) sodium alginate with 0.1% (w/v) of CaCl2 solution for highest transfructosylating activity. The characteristics of free and immobilized FTase were investigated and results showed that optimum pH and temperature of FTase activity were altered by immobilized materials. A successive production of FOS by Erase entrapped alginate beads was observed at an average of 62.96% (w/w) up to 7 days without much losing its activity. The data revealed by HPLC analysis culminate 67.75% (w/w) of FOS formation by Erase entrapped alginate beads and 42.79% (w/w) by chitosan beads in 36 h of enzyme substrate reaction. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.