Attachment of a membrane module with an already existing stirred-tank reactor, designated as free enzyme membrane reactor, which might be a potential alternative for the industrial production of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharide. In this review, different critical aspects related to production of GOS by FEMR are mentioned in a judicious way.

Abstract

Prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOSs) are synthesized by transgalactosylation of lactose using β-galactosidases. Well-established, large-scale production of GOS is performed by stirred-tank reactors (STR) operating in batch fashion. Main manufacturing expenses are attributed to enzyme purchase costs and the downstream operations required for subsequent enzyme inactivation and removal. In the last decades, several studies and patents have appeared on free enzyme membrane reactor (FEMR) as an economic alternative to STR due to enhanced enzyme recovery and reuse. In this review, we attempt to summarize the key design aspects, the catalytic performance and efficiency of FEMR compared to STR technology, and the main concerns related to stable product quality over long-term operation.