Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous process for the enzymatic preparation of isomaltulose. A periplasmatic sucrose-mutase is produced by fermentation of microorganisms which form sucrose-mutase. The cell-free crude enzyme extract is prepared by digestion of the cells and by cross-flow microfiltration. In a single-stage, simultaneous purification and immobilization of the sucrose-mutase from the cell-free crude extract conditioned by diafiltration is obtained by selective bonding to an anionizable carrier matrix. Direct conversion of sucrose into isomaltulose is produced by the sucrose-mutase bonded to the anionizable carrier matrix, preferably in cartridge or cartouche form.

Abstract: Biological material such as microorganisms is immobilized by polymerizing in the presence of the biological material a readily soluble polyetherpolyol having some hydroxyl groups esterified with acrylic and/or methacrylic acid and remaining hydroxyl groups reacted with an isocyanate group-containing derivative of an unsaturated carboxylic acid or a polyfunctional isocyanate. Preferably, the isocyanate derivative of an unsaturated carboxylic acid is isocyanatoethyl acrylate, isocyanatoethyl methacrylate of 4-isocyanato-3-methyl-2-butyl-acrylate and the polyfunctional isocyanate is a diisocyanate or polyisocyanate. Beads can be produced by forming droplets in a water-immiscible medium and polymerizing. Polymerization can be carried out under inert gas in the presence of radical initiators or by irradiation with actinic light.

Abstract: When immobilizing cells and/or enzymes by contact with tannin, epihalohydrin/polyamine copolymer and glutaraldehyde, immobilizing is carried out in the presence of a primary amine. The primary amine is preferably sulfuric acid mono-(2-aminoethyl)-ester, 2-aminoethanol, glycine or tris-(hydroxymethyl)-amino methane. The resulting immobilized cells and/or enzymes retain a higher proportion of their original activity.