Izumoring: a novel and complete strategy for bioproduction of rare sugars.

Starch, whey or hemicellulosic waste can be used as a raw material for the industrial production of rare sugars. D-glucose from starch, whey and hemicellulose, D-galactose from whey, and D-xylose from hemicellulose are the main starting monosaccharides for production of rare sugars. We can produce all monosaccharides; tetroses, pentoses and hexoses, from these raw materials. This is achieved by using D-tagatose 3-epimerase, aldose isomerase, aldose reductase, and oxidoreductase enzymes or whole cells as biocatalysts. Bioproduction strategies for all rare sugars are illustrated using ring form structures given the name Izumoring.