Modeling and simulation of fructooligosaccharides synthesis in a batch basket reactor

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) production was carried out in a batch basket reactor with immobilized fructosyltransferase from Rhodotorula sp. from 500×10(3) g m(-3) of sucrose in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer at pH 6.0, 48 °C at 85 rpm and with an activity of 22.44×10(3) U m(-3). The experimental data were well adjusted to the mathematical model for FOS production using SIMULINK(®) (MATLAB(®)). The highest regression coefficient (R(2)>90%) and the lowest percentual residual standard deviation (%RSD<4.0) and chi-square (χ(2) <1.0) were obtained for sucrose (GF), kestose (GF2) and total FOS. The mass transfer coefficient (kL) was determined as 5.6×10(-5) m h(-1) and the diffusivity (DS) was 2.11×10(-11) m(2) s(-1). The best predicted FOS yield (after 96 h) was 60.62%, with an equivalent productivity of 3.16×10(3) g m(-3) h(-1). These results reaffirm the good potential of this enzyme for industrial application and, in addition, are in conformation to other studies conducted with the same enzyme from the same and different microbial sources.