Enhanced production of fructose ester by biocatalyzed continuous flow process

Abstract

Abstract Background Fatty acid sugar esters are non-toxic, odorless, non-irritanting surfactants. They can be synthesized by renewable resources and are completely biodegradable in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Their application has been expanded in innumerous areas including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents and food industry. Lipase-catalyzed esterification have been investigated as a potential substitute to the traditional chemical, demanding milder reaction conditions, allowing better reaction control and providing higher-quality products. So, the lipase catalyzed sugar ester synthesis becomes an interesting strategy for producing biodegradable, non- ionic surfactants. The main disadvantage of this protocol is the poor solubility of substrates and long reaction time required for performed the esterification reaction with moderated to good yields. Results Here in, we report the enzymatic esterification of steric hindered fructose derivative with free fatty acids derived from palm oil refining process (RePO) under continuous flow conditions at concentrations up to 0.5 M, increasing the productivity up to 100 mg. min −1.g immob. enzyme −1. Conclusions The immobilized commercial enzyme from Rhizomucor miehei generated the best performance between the catalysts tested.