Immobilization of Erwinia sp. D12 Cells in Alginate-Gelatin Matrix and Conversion of Sucrose into Isomaltulose Using Response Surface Methodology

Isomaltulose is a noncariogenic reducing disaccharide and also a structural isomer of sucrose and is used by the food industry as a sucrose replacement. It is obtained through enzymatic conversion of microbial sucrose isomerase. An Erwinia sp. D12 strain is capable of converting sucrose into isomaltulose. The experimental design technique was used to study the influence of immobilization parameters on converting sucrose into isomaltulose in a batch process using shaken Erlenmeyer flasks. We assessed the effect of gelatin and transglutaminase addition on increasing the reticulation of granules of Erwinia sp. D12 cells immobilized in alginate. Independent parameters, sodium alginate concentration, cell mass concentration, CaCl(2) concentration, gelatin concentration, and transglutaminase concentration had all a significant effect (P < 0.05) on isomaltulose production. Erwinia sp. D12 cells immobilized in 3.0% (w/v) sodium alginate, 47.0% (w/v) cell mass, 0.3 molL(-1) CaCl(2), 1.7% (w/v) gelatin and 0.15% (w/v) transglutaminase presented sucrose conversion into isomaltulose, of around 50-60% in seven consecutive batches.