Application of Immobilized P. aculeatum Dextranase in Sugarcane Processing

Abstract

The application of P. aculeatum dextranases in Abu Kerkas sugarcane juice and final evaporate syrup indicated that dextranase activities in final evaporate syrup temperature (50 °C, °Brix 57.3) were dramatically reduced after 30-50 °Brix. Overall, juice applications were more efficient and economical than adding then to evaporate syrup. However, immobilized dextranase can be applied to syrup at levels as low as 10 ppm/solids to remove up to 70.65 % dextran which is useful to consider when several dextran problems occur. Heating juice to 55 °C in the presence of all dextranases, dramatically removed more dextran from a juice than at the current ambient temperature of application 32 °C and was much more economical. Free dextranase removed 47.89 % dextran after 5 min and at 55 °C compared to 8.03 % at 32 °C. While, 56.26 % of dextran was removed after 5 min, at 55 °C compared to 9.77 % at 32 °C for the immobilized dextranase. Storage effect of immobilized dextranase at 25 30 °C proved that the activity had decreased slightly from 97518.32 to 79982.91 units, while storage under 4 °C also decreased the activity from 81592.37 to 75297.37 units/100ml. Repeated batch processing in juice sugarcane as a simulation to factories conditions proved that immobilized dextranase can be used for over 16 cycles with 49.8 % activity.