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Updated: Mar 28, 2026
Fabrication of Size-Controlled and Emulsion-Free Chitosan-Genipin Microgels for Tissue Engineering Applications
Published on: April 13, 2022
Chitosan crosslinked with genipin as support matrix for application in food process: Support characterization and
Manuela P Klein1, Camila R Hackenhaar2, André S G Lorenzoni2
1Departamento de Engenharia Química e Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brazil; Laboratório de Enzimologia, Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil(1).
Abstract:
In order to develop safer processes for the food industry, we prepared a chitosan support with the naturally occurring crosslinking reagent, genipin, for enzyme. As application model, it was tested for the immobilization of β-D-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae. Chitosan particles were obtained by precipitation followed by adsorption of the enzyme and crosslinking with genipin. The particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The immobilization of the enzyme by crosslinking with genipin provided biocatalysts with satisfactory activity retention and thermal stability, comparable with the ones obtained with the traditional methodology of immobilization using glutaraldehyde. β-D-Galactosidase-chitosan-genipin particles were applied to galactooligosaccharides synthesis, evaluating the initial lactose concentration, pH and temperature, and yields of 30% were achieved. Moreover, excellent operational stability was obtained, since the immobilized enzyme maintained 100% of its initial activity after 25 batches of lactose hydrolysis. Thus, the food grade chitosan-genipin particles seem to be a good alternative for application in food process.
