Enzymatic synthesis of fructooligosaccharides by inulinases from Aspergillus niger and Kluyveromyces marxianus NRRL Y-7571 in aqueous–organic medium

This work is focused on the synthesis of the fructooligosaccharides (FOS) from sucrose and inulin, using free, immobilized and pre-treated immobilized inulinase from Kluyveromyces marxianus NRRL Y 7571 and Aspergillus niger in an aqueous–organic system. Initially, the influence of pre-treatment using four different gases, propane, n-butane, CO₂ and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), was investigated towards FOS production and best results were found when both enzymes were previously treated with LPG. The best reaction yields were obtained when the immobilized enzymes were treated with LPG. Considering FOS synthesis using the enzyme from A. niger, yields of 26.62% of GF2 (kestose), 30.62% of GF3 (nystose) and 8.47% of GF4 (fructosyl nystose) were achieved using sucrose as substrate. Using inulinases from K. marxianus NRRL Y 7571, 11.89% of GF2 and 20.83% of GF3 were obtained, using inulin as substrate. However, promising results were achieved using the free form of inulinase from A. niger (77.19% of GF2; 14.03% of GF3 and 0.07% of GF4) using inulin as substrate.