Lipase-catalysed acylation of starch and determination of the degree of substitution by methanolysis and GC

Enzyme-catalyzed transesterification of galactomannan extracted from mesquite seed (Prosopis velutina) with vinyl carboxylate esters

Galactomannans (GM) are hemicellulosic polysaccharides composed of D-mannopyranose chains linked by β (1 → 4) glycosidic linkages with branches of D-galactopyranose linked by α (1 → 6) linkages. This polysaccharide is recognized for its hydrophilic character, as it is rich in hydroxyl groups (-OH). This chemical characteristic, combined with the absence of ionic charges, enables structural modifications such as transesterification of the fatty acid chains (FA), which provides a strategy for obtaining amphiphilic structures. The enzyme-catalyzed syntheses were carried out in DMSO with GM decanoate (GMD) and GM palmitate (GMP) at different molar ratios (0.5 and 1.0) and the resulting structures were evaluated with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (CP/MAS 13C NMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The FTIR spectrum confirmed the transesterification of GM with the appearance of a C[bond, double bond]O band (1730-1750 cm-1). These results were confirmed by the signals observed at 177 and 30 ppm in the CP/MAS 13C NMR spectrum, which corresponded to the C[bond, double bond]O groups of the esters and the terminal -CH3 groups of the FA chains, respectively. Finally, DSC showed glass transition temperatures (Tg) in the range 43-51 °C, while the melting temperatures (Tm) of the GM esters (59 °C) were not affected by different degrees of esterification (DE) for GMD (0.37 and 0.71) and GMP (0.47 and 0.57).

Copolymers of starch, a sustainable template for biomedical applications: A review

The outstanding versatility of starch offers a source of inspiration for the development of high-performance-value-added biomaterials for the biomedical field, including drug delivery, tissue engineering and diagnostic imaging. This is because starch-based materials can be tailored to specific applications via facile grafting or other chemistries, introducing specific substituents, with starch being effectively the "template" used in all the chemical transformations discussed in this review. A considerable effort has been carried out to obtain specific tailored starch-based grafted polymers, taking advantage of its biocompatibility and biodegradability with appealing sustainability considerations. The aim of this review is to critically explore the latest research that use grafting chemistries on starch for the synthesis of products for biomedical applications. An effort is made in reviewing the literature that proposes synthetic "greener" approaches, the use of enzymes and their immobilized analogues and alternative solvent systems, including water emulsions, ionic liquids and supercritical CO₂.

Change in characteristics of film based on rice starch blended with sucrose, maltose, and trehalose after storage

The characteristics of rice starch film blended with sucrose, maltose, and trehalose at concentrations of 0%, 10%, 20%, or 30% (w/w of the starch weight) were investigated. Relative crystallinity (RC) of the rice starch film as determined by X-ray increased with increasing sucrose concentration and the RC tended to decrease with an increasing concentration of maltose and trehalose. RC was inhibited by adding sugar in the order of trehalose, maltose, and sucrose after 28 days storage. The rice starch film with 30% added sugar showed a homogeneous matrix and a lower frequency chemical shift of the proton OH group as determined on the day of preparation; however, the film with 30% added maltose cracked after 28 days storage. Adding sugar as a plasticizer affected the properties of the rice starch film by concentration and type of sugar because of the hydroxyl groups of the sugar. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Disaccharides, such as sucrose, maltose, and trehalose, could be used as a plasticizer in a rice starch film system. The sugar conformation might be one factor for selecting the sugar to use for starch film system. Trehalose might improve film properties by inhibiting recrystallization after storage.

Emulsion stabilization mechanism of combination of esterified maltodextrin and Tween 80 in oil-in-water emulsions

Esterified maltodextrins (EMs) were prepared using enzyme-catalyzed reaction of maltodextrin (DE of 16 and 9) and palmitic acid. The emulsion stabilization mechanism was investigated of a combination of Tween 80 and EM in oil-in-water emulsion to determine interfacial tension, ζ-potential, non-adsorbed Tween 80 in centrifuged-serum of emulsion, and fluoresced microstructure. The interfacial tension and non-adsorbed Tween 80 content of combination of Tween 80 and EM-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions were closed to those of sole Tween 80-stabilized emulsion. The ζ-potential of sole Tween 80-stabilzed emulsion had a small positive charge but ζ-potential changed to small negative charge as EM was added into Tween 80-stabilzed emulsion. Fluorescence microstructure confirmed that EM was adsorbed on oil droplet surface, stabilized by Tween 80. The mechanism of emulsion stabilization may conclude that Tween 80 was mainly adsorbed at oil surface and EM may interact with Tween 80 to form a double stabilization layer without competitive replacement.

Formulation and characterization of esterified xylo-oligosaccharides-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions using microchannel emulsification

A series of amphiphilically esterified xylo-oligosaccharides (xylo esters) with different fatty acids residues - decanoic acid (C-10), lauric acid (C-12) and palmitic acid (C-16) - were enzymatically modified at 60°C for 4h. These xylo esters were used as emulsifiers to formulate oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions by microchannel emulsification (MCE). Grooved and straight-through MCE was used to investigate the droplet generation and/or emulsion stability. Xylo ester-stabilized oil droplets were generated smoothly from microchannels arranged linearly or two dimensionally, while xylo ester-stabilized emulsions were less monodispersed owing to low surface activity of the xylo esters. The combined use of xylo esters (2.5% (w/w)) and Tween series (0.1% (w/w)) in the continuous phase can improve the monodispersity of the resultant oil. Successful droplet generation was achieved with the straight-through MCE using 2.5% (w/w) xylo laurate and 0.1% (w/w) Tween 20. The optimized combination of xylo laurate and Tween 20 inhibited coalescence and oiling off more efficiently than the droplets solely stabilized by Tween 20 during 30days of storage.

Effect of esterified oligosaccharides on the formation and stability of oil-in-water emulsions

Hydrophobically modified oligosaccharides were prepared by an enzyme-catalyzed reaction of maltodextrin/xylo-oligosaccharide and palmitic acid. Maltodextrin with dextrose equivalent (DE) of 16 palmitate (DE16_P) and 9 palmitate (DE9_P), as well as xylo-oligosaccharide palmitate (Xylo_P), were used. The effect of the concentration (10-50% (w/w)) and type of esterified oligosaccharides on the Sauter mean diameter and droplet-size distribution, the rate of coalescence (Kc), and the creaming properties of O/W emulsions were investigated. Esterified oligosaccharides (EO) adsorbed to the surface of the oil droplets. EO formed polydisperse O/W emulsions with particle sizes between 12 and 70 μm, depended on concentration of EO. The Sauter mean diameter, Kc, and the creaming index decreased markedly, with increasing concentration of EO. The type of ester minimally affected the Sauter mean diameter at each ester concentration. DE9_P inhibited coalescence and creaming more efficiently than other EO, mainly due to the higher viscosity of the continuous phase.

Biocatalytic synthesis of starch esters by immobilized lipase on magnetic microparticles

Enzymatic esterification is an efficient approach for modifying starch to functionalized biomaterials. In this study, conversion of cassava starch to fatty acid acyl esters using immobilized Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase on Fe3O4 microparticles modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and covalently linked by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide (Fe3O4-AP-ED-lipase) in a solvent-free system was studied. An optimized reaction containing 5% w/v gelatinized starch, 1% v/v Triton X-100, and 1% w/v biocatalyst with 2.5% w/v of fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, or linoleic acid) resulted in esterified products with a degree of substitution (DS) of 0.12–0.14, while a slightly lower DS was observed using crude palm fatty acid distillate as the acyl donor with 42.9–59.6% recovery yield. Increasing DS led to lower glass transition temperature and higher viscosity of the esterified products. The enzyme showed high operational stability with 85% retaining in activity after recycling in three consecutive batches with simple separation by magnetization, leading to improved process economics.

Synthesis and characterization of fatty acid oat β-glucan ester and its structure-curcumin loading capacity relationship

An amphiphilic fatty acid oat β-glucan ester (FAOGE) was first synthesized, and its structure-curcumin loading capacity (CLC) relationship was investigated. The DS of product increased with the addition of acyl imidazole, decreased with Mw of β-glucan, and did not relate to the acyl chain length. Characterizations by FT-IR and (1)H NMR evidenced the presence of ester groups in FAOGE and confirmed its successful synthesis. The aqueous self-aggregation behavior of FAOGE was revealed by transmission electron microcopy and dynamic light scattering. With the aid of response surface methodology, a quadratic polynomial equation was obtained to quantitatively describe the structure-CLC relationship of FAOGE by using Mw of β-glucan, acyl chain length, and DS as variables. The CLC increased with Mw of β-glucan and acyl chain length but maximized at a medium DS. The maximum CLC value was obtained as 4.05 μg/mg. Hence, FAOGE is a potential candidate in solubilizing and delivering hydrophobic food ingredients.

Two-step process for preparation of oligosaccharide propionates and acrylates using lipase and Cyclodextrin Glycosyl Transferase (CGTase)

Background

Oligosaccharide esters are attractive candidates for applications as surfactants, hydrogels and other materials, but direct enzymatic acylation is difficult with carbohydrates longer than disaccharides.

Results

A combination of one lipase-catalyzed step and one transglycosylation step catalyzed by a cyclodextrin glycosyl transferase (CGTase) was used to synthesize oligosaccharide esters. The conversion of glucose and maltose with vinyl propionate catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435) in dioxane proceeded to full conversion to mixtures of mono and diesters. When ethyl acrylate was used as acyl donor, mono and diesters were formed, but full conversion was not reached. The CGTase catalyzed reactions between the glucose and maltose esters and α-cyclodextrin were carried out in water. In the initial phase, addition of the glucose residues of the cyclodextrin to the ester substrate occurred (coupling reaction), followed by disproportionation reactions yielding a range of oligosaccharide esters with varying chain length. The monoesters were efficient acceptors in the CGTase-catalyzed reactions, while the diesters were not converted to a significant extent. As a consequence, the glucose propionate which contained large amounts of diesters was converted to 40% conversion while the maltose propionate which contained mainly monoesters was converted to 86% conversion.

Conclusions

A two-step enzymatic process for preparation of oligosaccharide esters has been developed. Oligosaccharide propionates were produced in high yield with a total reaction time of 5 h. The double bond of the acrylate moiety reduced the reaction rate of the lipase catalyzed transesterification, but in both cases, the CGTase efficiently converted the monoesters to oligosaccharide esters.

Improving activity and enantioselectivity of lipase via immobilization on macroporous resin for resolution of racemic 1- phenylethanol in non-aqueous medium

Background

Burkholderia cepacia lipase (BCL) has been proved to be capable of resolution reactions. However, its free form usually exhibits low stability, bad resistance and no reusability, which restrict its further industrial applications. Therefore, it is of great importance to improve the catalytic performance of free lipase in non-aqueous medium.

Results

In this work, macroporous resin NKA (MPR-NKA) was utilized as support for lipase immobilization. Racemic transesterification of 1-phenylethanol with vinyl acetate was chosen as model reaction. Compared with its free form, the enzyme activity and enantioselectivity (ee_s) of the immobilized lipase have been significantly enhanced. The immobilized BCL exhibited a satisfactory thermostability over a wide range of temperature (from 10 to 65°C) and an excellent catalytic efficiency. After being used for more than 30 successive batches, the immobilized lipase still kept most of its activity. In comparison with other immobilized lipases, the immobilized BCL also exhibits better catalytic efficiency, which indicates a significant potential in industrial applications.

Conclusion

The results of this study have proved that MPR-NKA was an excellent support for immobilization of lipase via the methods of N₂ adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The improvement of enzyme activity and ee_s for the immobilized lipase was closely correlated with the alteration of its secondary structure. This information may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism of immobilization and enzymatic biotransformation in non-aqueous medium.

Two-step method of enzymatic synthesis of starch laurate in ionic liquids

Enzymatic esterification of starch with long-chain fatty acid was investigated by using ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium choride ([BMIm]Cl) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIm][BF4]) as reaction media. An industrial lipase produced by Candida rugosa was used to modify starch with lauric acid. The effect of reaction parameters such as the lipase dosage, the molar ratio of lauric acid/anhydroglucose unit (AGU) in starch, and the reaction temperature as well as the reaction time on the degree of substitution (DS) of long-chain fatty acid starch esters was studied. The maximum DS value was 0.171 under the given conditions. The maximum solubility of high-amylose starch measured by turbidity was 11.0/100 g of [BMIm]Cl. The esterification products were confirmed according to Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. The morphological and crystallographic properties of native starch were largely disrupted during modification process as indicated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The thermal stability of the starch laurates was found to decrease compared to native starch. After reaction, the ionic liquid was effectively recycled and reused. This paper explores the potential of ionic liquids as solvent for the enzymatic synthesis of long-chain fatty acid starch esters.

Chemical modification of polysaccharides

This review covers methods for modifying the structures of polysaccharides. The introduction of hydrophobic, acidic, basic, or other functionality into polysaccharide structures can alter the properties of materials based on these substances. The development of chemical methods to achieve this aim is an ongoing area of research that is expected to become more important as the emphasis on using renewable starting materials and sustainable processes increases in the future. The methods covered in this review include ester and ether formation using saccharide oxygen nucleophiles, including enzymatic reactions and aspects of regioselectivity; the introduction of heteroatomic nucleophiles into polysaccharide chains; the oxidation of polysaccharides, including oxidative glycol cleavage, chemical oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids, and enzymatic oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes; reactions of uronic-acid-based polysaccharides; nucleophilic reactions of the amines of chitosan; and the formation of unsaturated polysaccharide derivatives.

Enzymatic conversions of starch

This article surveys methods for the enzymatic conversion of starch, involving hydrolases and nonhydrolyzing enzymes, as well as the role of microorganisms producing such enzymes. The sources of the most common enzymes are listed. These starch conversions are also presented in relation to their applications in the food, pharmaceutical, pulp, textile, and other branches of industry. Some sections are devoted to the fermentation of starch to ethanol and other products, and to the production of cyclodextrins, along with the properties of these products. Light is also shed on the enzymes involved in the digestion of starch in human and animal organisms. Enzymatic processes acting on starch are useful in structural studies of the substrates and in understanding the characteristics of digesting enzymes. One section presents the application of enzymes to these problems. The information that is included covers the period from the early 19th century up to 2009.

Enzymatic acylation of starch

Starch a cheap, abundant and renewable natural material has been chemically modified for many years. The popular modification acylation has been used to adjust rheological properties as well as deliver polymers with internal plasticizers and other potential uses. However the harsh reaction conditions required to produce these esters may limit their use, especially in sensitive applications (foods, pharmaceuticals, etc.). The use of enzymes to catalyse acylation may provide a suitable alternative due to high selectivities and mild reaction conditions. Traditional hydrolase-catalysed synthesis in non-aqueous apolar media is hard due to lack of polysaccharide solubility. However, acylated starch derivatives have recently been successfully produced in other non-conventional systems: (a) surfactant-solubilised subtilisin and suspended amylose in organic media; (b) starch nanoparticles dispersed in organic medium with immobilised lipase; (c) aqueous starch gels with lipase and dispersed fatty acids. We attempt a systematic review that draws parallels between the seemingly unrelated approaches described.

Biosysthesis of corn starch palmitate by lipase Novozym 435

Esterification of starch was carried out to expand the usefulness of starch for a myriad of industrial applications. Lipase B from Candida antarctica, immobilized on macroporous acrylic resin (Novozym 435), was used for starch esterification in two reaction systems: micro-solvent system and solvent-free system. The esterification of corn starch with palmitic acid in the solvent-free system and micro-solvent system gave a degree of substitution (DS) of 1.04 and 0.0072 respectively. Esterification of corn starch with palmitic acid was confirmed by UV spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy. The results of emulsifying property analysis showed that the starch palmitate with higher DS contributes to the higher emulsifying property (67.6%) and emulsion stability (79.6%) than the native starch (5.3% and 3.9%). Modified starch obtained by esterification that possesses emulsifying properties and has long chain fatty acids, like palmitic acid, has been widely used in the food, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications industries.