Challenges and perspectives of the β-galactosidase enzyme

The enzyme beta-galactosidase has great potential for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its ability to perform the hydrolysis of lactose, a disaccharide present in milk and in dairy by-products. It can be used in free form, in batch processes, or in immobilized form, which allows continuous operation and provides greater enzymatic stability. The choice of method and support for enzyme immobilization is essential, as the performance of the biocatalyst is strongly influenced by the properties of the material used and by the interaction mechanisms between support and enzyme. Therefore, this review showed the main enzyme immobilization techniques, and the most used supports for the constitution of biocatalysts. Also, materials with the potential for immobilization of beta-galactosidases and the importance of their biotechnological application are presented.

Automated summary

Beta-galactosidase enzyme has great potential for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its ability to hydrolyze lactose. The choice of method and support for enzyme immobilization is crucial for achieving better enzyme stability and performance. Various enzyme immobilization techniques and commonly used supports were discussed in this review, highlighting the importance of materials with potential for immobilization and their biotechnological applications.