Continuous production of high-content fructooligosaccharides by a complex cell system.

A complex biocatalyst system with a bioreactor equipped with a microfiltration (MF) module was employed to produce high-content fructooligosaccharides (FOS) in a continuous process initiated by a batch process. The system used mycelia of Aspergillus japonicus CCRC 93007 or Aureobasidium pullulans ATCC 9348 with beta-fructofuranosidase activity and Gluconobacter oxydans ATCC 23771 with glucose dehydrogenase activity. Calcium carbonate slurry was used to control pH to 5.5, and gluconic acid in the reaction mixture was precipitated as calcium gluconate. Sucrose solution with an optimum concentration of 30% (w/v) was employed as feed for the complex cell system, and high-content FOS was discharged continuously from a MF module. The complex cell system was run at 30 degrees C with an aeration rate of 5 vvm and produced more than 80% FOS with the remainder being 5-7% glucose and 8-10% sucrose on a dry weight basis, plus a small amount of calcium gluconate. The system worked for a 7-day continuous production process with a dilution rate of 0.04 h(-1), and the volumetric productivity for total FOS was more than 160 g L(-1) h(-1).