Practical Preparation of Epilactose Produced with Cellobiose 2-Epimerase from Ruminococcus albus NE1

Abstract

A practical purification method for a non-digestible disaccharide, epilactose (4-O-β-galactosyl-D-mannose), was established. Epilactose was synthesized from lactose with cellobiose 2-epimerase and purified by the following procedure: (i) removal of lactose by crystallization, (ii) hydrolysis of lactose by β-galactosidase, (iii) digestion of monosaccharides by yeast, and (iv) column chromatography with Na-form cation exchange resin. Epilactose of 91.1% purity was recovered at 42.5% yield.