Production of inulinases by Kluyveromyces marxianus

Abstract

Microorganisms are a potential source of enzymes capable of degrading complex sugars of more than 10 monomer units into simple sugars such as fructose and glucose, and they also have the capacity to produce oligosaccharides or polymers from monomers. In particular, some microorganisms produce fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are fructose oligosaccharides ranging from 3 to 12 units. These are the foods of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which are beneficial bacteria that inhabit the colon. FOS are used in the pharmaceutical and food industries as additives in functional foods. There are yeasts that have inulinase enzymatic activity (hydrolyze polymers and produce FOS) or fructosyltransferase activity (produce FOS from sucrose). K. marxianus is a yeast with the potential to produce FOS through strain selection, preparation of an appropriate culture medium, optimal fermentation conditions and enzyme harvesting. By following this practice, it is possible to obtain these enzymes in an effective and sustainable manner, contributing to the creation of healthier products and the optimization of industrial processes.