BIOMAT: Solid matrices for bioprocessing

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 95.0018

Key words (English)

Bioprocessing; carrier; enzyme; immobilization; material; purification

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: BRPR-CT95-0003

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 2.1 Industrial and materials technologies

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Pharmacia biotech, Novo-Nordisk, Univ. Bristol, Surface Chemistry Inst. Stockholm, Orion/VTT Finland

Abstract (English)

The project has provided
§ basic knowledge about the production of polymer based particles useful for enzyme immobilisation and for the purification of proteins,
§ prototypes of matrixes with direct potential as enzyme carriers,
§ identification of novel immobilisation methods and techniques,
§ basic knowledge about the possibilities and limitations of using immobilised enzymes in food technology and other areas where commercially available enzymes today are used on an industrial scale.
The Swiss contribution (Application in Food Processing) has focused on two main objectives:
§ Contribute to the development of new materials by evaluation of their behaviour under typical industrial conditions
§ Develop original processes making use of immobilised biocatalyst.
The necessary analytical methods have been developed and three laboratory-scale reactor set-ups have been installed for the evaluation of processes. Currently available commercial carriers have been characterised and evaluated for application in food processing. They served as benchmarking references for improving the new materials developed in the project.
Four types of new porous carrier activated to covalently immobilise proteins have been under investigation. A ten-fold increase in efficiency (activity per mass catalyst) has been achieved in processing low molecular weight substrates. Excellent operational stability and mechanical properties were obtained with the prototypes delivered during the project.
We were mainly focussing on improving the efficiency of biocatalyst towards high molecular weight substrates. No real breakthrough has been achieved but relevant questions helping to the understanding of key phenomena were raised and answered. According to the above, target food processes will most likely involve low molecular weight processing.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 95.0018