Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal: Membranes

Volume number: 9

Issue number: 11

eISSN: 2077-0375

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes9110148

Publisher: MDPI

Abstract: 
Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are linear fructans comprising 2-5 fructose units linked to a terminal glucose residue. They are widely used as food and feed additives due to their sweetness, low calorific value, and prebiotic properties. Here we describe the synthesis of FOS catalyzed by a cell-free crude enzyme solution containing recombinant fructosyltransferase (1-FFT) produced in the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. During the enzyme catalysis, glucose accumulates as a by-product and eventually inhibits FOS production. We therefore used an enzyme membrane reactor (EMR) to achieve the continuous removal of glucose and the simultaneous replenishment of sucrose. We observed a loss of flux during the reaction with the characteristics of complete pore blocking, probably caused by a combination of proteins (enzyme molecules) and polysaccharides (FOS). Such complex fouling mechanisms must be overcome to achieve the efficient production of FOS using EMR systems.

Harvard Citation style: Burghardt, J., Coletta, L., van der Bolt, R., Ebrahimi, M., Gerlach, D. and Czermak, P. (2019) Development and Characterization of an Enzyme Membrane Reactor for Fructo-Oligosaccharide Production, Membranes, 9(11), Article 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes9110148

APA Citation style: Burghardt, J., Coletta, L., van der Bolt, R., Ebrahimi, M., Gerlach, D., & Czermak, P. (2019). Development and Characterization of an Enzyme Membrane Reactor for Fructo-Oligosaccharide Production. Membranes. 9(11), Article 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes9110148