[Immobilization of microbial lactase]

Lactase (beta-D galactoside-galactohydrolase, E.C.3.2.1.23) is a relevant enzyme to the dairy industry as it modifies undesirable functional and nutritional properties derived from the lactose content in milk and dairies, and as a way of recovering or upgrading cheese whey. This latter aspect has been considered to develop an enzyme catalyst suitable for the continuous hydrolysis of whey permeate. The selection of enzyme and support and the immobilization procedure has been reported previously. Results obtained in the immobilization of fungal lactase on activated chitin have prompted us to scale-up the procedure, a system being developed in which the enzyme is immobilized within the reactor (in situ). Results are presented for the in situ immobilization of lactase with and without recirculation of the reagents. Previous procedure was reproduced, although moderate profiles of activity were generated through the catalyst bed which were not eliminated by recirculation. Packed bed reactors with immobilized lactase were operated at varying flowrates and lactose concentrations, results being compared, in terms of substrate conversion and reactor productivity, with a theoretical model based on the corresponding kinetic expression and ideal flow regime. Deviations are significant at high flowrates which is attributed to backmixing and channeling through the catalyst bed. The model fits reasonably well at low flowrates and high feed substrate concentration. Productivity was 58 g of glucose/l.h at 40 ml/h of 120 g/l of lactose. Stability of the immobilized lactase was assessed in long-term reactor operation with whey permeate (35 g/l of lactose) at 40 degrees C and pH 4.0. Operational half-life was 120 days.