Studies on the Isomerization of D-Glucose by Immobilized Glucose Isomerase

Abstract

A break-through in the development of sweet corn syrups occurred when glucose isomerase was introduced in 1967. This enzyme isomerizes glucose to the sweeter sugar fructose, and the resulting product is competitive with sucrose with respect to sweetness. Since then, much research and development effort has been concentrated on making this process more economical by use of immobilized glucose isomerase in continuous reactors. This work has now reached a stage where corn syrups also compare very favorably with sucrose on the basis of price. But, even today, only a few glucose isomerases are available in industrial quantities. This paper indicates the problems of transferring laboratory results into industrial production and application.