Continuous Production of Dextran from Immobilized Cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leuconostoc mesenteroides</Emphasis> KIBGE HA1 Using Acrylamide as a Support

The cells of L. mesenteroides KIBGE HA1 were immobilized for the production of dextran on acrylamide gel and gel concentration was optimized for maximum entrapment. Sucrose at substrate concentration of 10% produced high yield of dextran at 25°C with a percent conversion of 5.82 while at 35°C it was 3.5. However, increasing levels of sucrose diminished dextran yields. The free cells stopped producing dextran after 144 h, while immobilized cells continued to produce dextran even after 480 h. Molecular mass distribution of dextran from free cells indicate that it is identical to that of blue dextran while the molecular mass of dextran from immobilized cells is lower than that of free cells.