A Fructooligosaccharide-producing Enzyme from Aspergillus niger ATCC 20611

Abstract

The fructosyl transfer to sucrose was investigated, and Aspergillus niger ATCC 20611 was selected as the most suitable strain for fructooligosaccharide production. This strain showed very high enzyme productivity, and its transfructosylating activity was very strong compared to its hydrolyzing activity. Fructooligosaccharides could be more effectively prepared with a higher concentration of sucrose if use could be made of an enzyme having higher transfructosylating ability. Treatment of 50% (w/v) sucrose with the A. niger enzyme afforded a mixture of fructooligosaccharides with inulin-type structures of 1^F(1-β-fructofuranosyl)_n-sucrose (n=1 to 3). The individual saccharides could be separated by the combination of a carbon column chromatography and preparative HPLC.