Isomaltulose production using immobilized cells

Three strains of Erwinia rhapontici especially suitable for use in the form of nongrowing immobilized cells were selected by screening strains of cells for high activity and operational stability in an immobilized form. Immobilization in calcium alginate gel pellets was easily the best method of immobilizing E. rhapontici. Much greater operational stabilities were obtained than when other immobilization methods were used. Conditions of operation which optimize the activity, stability, and yield and the ease of operation of the immobilized cell columns working in a steady state are described. These include the effects of substrate concentration, diffusional restrictions and water activity, the concentration of cells immobilized, and the type of reactor used. Thus, the immobilized cells produce about 1500 times their own weight of isomaltulose during one half-life of use (ca. 1 year). Loss of activity was most closely correlated with the volume of substrate processed and so presumably is due to the presence of low concentrations of a cummulative inhibitor in the substrate. Methods for regenerating the activity of the immobilized cells by the periodic administration of nutrients, of forming isomaltulose by continuously supplying nutrients to growing immobilized cells, and of crystallizing isomaltulose from the column eluate are also described.