Influence of media components and reaction parameters on the production of fructosyl transferase and fructooligosaccharides

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have been produced from sucrose by the action of a microbial fructosyl transferase (FTase). The influence of nutritional parameters on FTase production and the reaction conditions on FOS production by Aspergillus oryzae CFR 202 were studied using Plackett-Burman design. Sixteen variables including eight media ingredients and eight reaction parameters were included in the study. KH2PO4 and sucrose in the fermentation medium, fermentation time, reaction time and pH of the reaction mixture were identified as significant factors/ingredients and were chosen for further optimisation studies. The highest conversion yield obtained was 58% (w/w) based on the initial sucrose concentration as against 25% (w/w) in the initial screening experiments. This corresponded to an increase of 33% in FOS yield.