Continuous clarification of grape juice using a packed bed bioreactor including pectinase enzyme immobilized on glass beads

Abstract

A continuous clarification of grape juice was undertaken in a packed bed reactor (PBR) using pectinase enzymes immobilized on glass beads. The enzyme immobilization process decreased the specific activity and the volumetric productivity from 3 ± 0.2 to 2.7 ± 0.1 units mg−1 and from ~0.085 to ~0.070 mg mL−1 min−1, respectively. Also, it increased the optimum pH from 5.0 to 5.5, but did not influence the optimum temperature (50 °C). The best conditions for clarification of the grape juice were obtained at a flow rate of 0.5 mL min−1 and a treatment time of 42 min. After clarification, pH, total soluble solids, turbidity, total phenolic content, antiradical activity and viscosity of grape juice were decreased, and on the other hand, total titratable acidity and the color parameter L were increased. Generally, this study showed that the continuous operation in a PBR including glass bead immobilized enzyme can be a potential alternative for the batch system used in juice industries.