Efficient biotechnological synthesis of flavor esters using a low-cost biocatalyst with immobilized Rhizomucor miehei lipase.

In this work, the synthesis of two fruit flavor esters, namely methyl and ethyl butyrate, by lipase from Rhizomucor miehei immobilized onto chitosan in the presence of the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate SDS was investigated. In the optimized conditions, maximum esterification yield for ethyl butyrate and methyl butyrate was (92 ± 1%) and (89 ± 1%), respectively. Esterification yields for both reactions were comparable or even superior to the ones achieved when the synthesis was catalyzed by a commercial enzyme, Lipozyme®, at the same reaction conditions.

Effect of the Presence of Surfactants and Immobilization Conditions on Catalysts' Properties of Rhizomucor miehei Lipase onto Chitosan.

Lipase from Rhizomucor miehei (RML) was immobilized onto chitosan support in the presence of some surfactants added at low levels using two different strategies. In the first approach, the enzyme was immobilized in the presence of surfactants on chitosan supports previously functionalized with glutaraldehyde. In the second one, after prior enzyme adsorption on chitosan beads in the presence of surfactants, the complex chitosan beads-enzyme was then cross-linked with glutaraldehyde.