SBIR-STTR Award

The goal of this research is to produce a flexible monolithic cellulose support with advantageous characteristics; a version with high activity of immobilized beta-galactosidase will be used for commercial applications in producing lactose reduced milk and whey products. Because of widespread lactose intolerance, it is of utmost importance to have inexpensive processes for preparing dairy foods in which lactose is reduced, also widening the profitable utilization of whey. The research involves the transformation of a low cost monolithic cellulose material into an added value product under mild conditions to prevent dissolution and gelation of the support, followed by the enzyme immobilization. The immobilization efficiency and the activity of the immobilized enzyme will be determined, as will the effectiveness of the biocatalyst and the influence of any mass transfer limitations. The viability of a process will be determined by the operational stability and productivity. Because the proposed monolith allows a total convection of the mobile phase through the megapores, mass transfer is greatly enhanced, which translates into higher activity and eventually higher productivity. This innovation will address unfulfilled market needs, and provide a solid support capable of high performance at low pressure, as well as enabling the exploitation of other solid-phase bioprocesses.

The feasibility of preparing a megaporous, monolithic cellulose support, MonoCell TM with a high degree of functional substitution, and subsequent immobilization of Beta-galactosidase (lactase) have been demonstrated. This immobilized enzyme has been used repeatedly for reducing lactose in whey and skim milk, without any pretreatment, in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The proposed research will be devoted to developing a practical technology in terms of pilot and large scale manufacturing of the MonoCell TM support as well as the immobilized lactase. Process development and commercial application for the hydrolysis of lactose in whey and milk, requiring high efficiency of an enzyme reactor, coupled with high activity of the immobilized enzyme will follow. The use of MonoCell TM in an immobilized enzyme reactor is an entirely original effort and a completely new approach, as is the proposed derivatization of monolithic cellulose itself. This is aimed at developing a much needed and more economically viable application, offering significant health benefits to an estimated 50 million Americans, while particularly widening the profitable utilization of whey. It is anticipated that MonoCell TM material being developed will impact on other commercial applications, which are particularly sensitive to processing costs, e.g. the recovery of several valuable health-related components from whey.