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A forced-flow membrane reactor for transfructosylation using ceramic membrane
K Nishizawa1, M Nakajima, H Nabetani
1National Food Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2-1-2, Kannondai, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, 305-8642, Japan.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|March 4, 2000
Summary
This study developed a high-efficiency membrane reactor for producing fructooligosaccharides (FOS). The system achieved significantly higher productivity and enzyme stability compared to traditional batch methods.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
- Food Science
Background:
- Enzyme immobilization is crucial for industrial biocatalysis.
- Membrane reactors offer advantages in process intensification.
- Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are valuable prebiotics with growing market demand.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a forced-flow membrane reactor for transfructosylation.
- To optimize FOS production using immobilized beta-fructofuranosidase on ceramic membranes.
- To evaluate the impact of membrane pore size and permeate flux on product composition and productivity.
Main Methods:
- Immobilization of beta-fructofuranosidase onto silane-activated ceramic membranes.
- Crossflow filtration of sucrose solution through membranes of varying pore sizes.
- Control of permeate flux via transmembrane pressure.
- Analysis of saccharide composition in the permeate.
Main Results:
- The membrane reactor system successfully produced a mixture of fructooligosaccharides (FOS).
- Product composition was dependent on permeate flux, controllable by pressure.
- A 0.2 micrometer pore size ceramic membrane yielded a volumetric productivity of 3.87 kg m(-3) s(-1), 560 times higher than batch systems.
- The immobilized enzyme exhibited a half-life of 35 days.
Conclusions:
- Forced-flow membrane reactors are highly effective for enzymatic transfructosylation.
- This system offers significant improvements in productivity and enzyme stability for FOS production.
- The technology is suitable for industrial scale-up of prebiotic synthesis.