Abstract: An insoluble biocatalyst is prepared by forming a mixture consisting essentially of the biocatalyst, one or more water-soluble compounds having two or more acrylamide or meth-acrylamido groups and one or more water soluble amines possessing two or more hydrogen atoms bonded to an amine nitrogen, and forming a gel from the mixture. The water-soluble amine is selected from ammonia, lower diamines, lower polyamines, primary monoamines, polyethyleneimine and polyvinylamine. Beads containing the biocatalyst may be formed by suspending the mixture in a water-immiscible solvent to form droplets prior to gelling. The biocatalyst may be an enzyme, cells or cell fragments.