Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method for preparing a particulate citric acid material. The method involves spray granulating citric acid from its partially purified fermentation broth to form granules which are freer flowing and less inclined to fracture than is citric acid prepared by crystallization techniques which properties render this material suitable for handling in bulk.

Abstract: The filterability of glucose syrups obtained from impure wheat or other cereal starch is improved by treatment with Disporotrichum. Also the separation of starch from other constituents of impure cereal starch is improved by addition of xylanase before the starch is separated.

Abstract: A process for preparing endoinulase by cultivating a microorganism belonging to the genus Aspergillus and capable of producing inulase and recovering the inulase produced and accumulated in the culture medium by organic solvent precipitation, wherein inulase having a high exo activity is first precipitated at a low concentration of a water-soluble organic solvent and is removed, and then inulase having a high endo activity is precipitated at a high concentration of the water-soluble organic solvent and is recovered.

Abstract: A process for preparing a low-molecular weight chitosan which comprises adding chitosan to water containing a monobasic acid to prepare an intimate chitosan-water mixture and treating said mixture with cellulase.

Abstract: The invention deals with a process for the preparation of C.sub.5 to C.sub.10 aliphatic methyl ketones by the aerobic biotransformation of C.sub.6 to C.sub.11 fatty acids with spores of filamentous fungi of the genus Amastigomycota. The process is carried out in an inert organic solvent with a partition coefficient between water and octane superior to 4, advantageously in a C.sub.8 to C.sub.20 aliphatic hydrocarbon or a mixture of such hydrocarbons, containing at most 20% of water.The obtained methyl ketones may be used to strengthen taste or a flavoring agents.

Abstract: The process for the microbiological production of gamma (R) decanolide and/or gamma (R) octanolide involves the culture of a micro-organism selected from the group comprising Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium suaveolens, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Pichia etchellsii in a culture medium that includes a vegetable oil, particularly castor oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil and their hydrolysates.

Abstract: A method for expressing higher eucaryotic genes in Aspergillus through the use of a recombinant plasmid capable of integration into the chromosomal DNA of Aspergillus is disclosed. It is preferred to utilize a transcriptional promoter within a DNA construct contained in the plasmid that is of a DNA sequence encoding an ADH enzyme or a TPI enzyme. Promoters capable of directing the expression of a heterologous gene in Aspergillus, as well as other filamentous fungal genera are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process is provided for treating aqueous carbohydrate solutions with phospholipase enzyme compositions to improve the filterability and clarity of the filtrate of such solutions.

Abstract: Aspergillus niger B60 was immobilized in a dual hollow fiber bioreactor to produce citric acid continuously. The fungi proliferated well in the interstitial region formed by a parallel arrangement of three microporous polypropylene hollow fibers contained within a silicone tube. Excessive fungal cell growth could be controlled by supplying a nitrogen-deficient medium at the production stage, and also uniform cell distribution in the reactor could be obtained by changing the direction of medium flow. With pure oxygen aeration and nitrogen-deficient medium, volumetric productivity reached 1.62 g/l.h at a residence time of 4.02 h, which corresponded to a 27-fold increase over that of shake-flask fermentation. When the residence time was increased to 20.1 h, citric acid at a concentration of 26 g/l was continuously produced, with a yield of 80-90% and a volumetric productivity of 1.3 g/l.h.

Abstract: A sulfhydryl oxidase, which is a flavor protein, and a method of isloating the same from a culture of the microorganism Aspergillus niger. The claimed sulfhydryl oxidase has a molecular weight of about 106,000 and a pH optimum of about 5.5 for oxidation of glutathione in an acetate buffer at 250.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for producing a variety of chemical products, e.g., ethanol, by fermentation in which the product is removed from the fermentation medium as it is formed by liquid-liquid extraction using an extractant for the product which is immiscible with water. The extractant employed is chosen from the following groups: (A) double bond unsaturated aliphatic alcohols having 12 or more carbon atoms; (B) saturated branched chain aliphatic alcohols having 14 or more carbon atoms or mixtures thereof; (C) double bond unsaturated aliphatic acids having 12 or more carbon atoms; (D) aliphatic and aromatic mono-, di- or tri-esters having 12 or more carbon atoms, other than dibutyl phthalate; (E) aliphatic noncyclic ketones and aliphatic aldehydes having 12 or more carbon atoms; and (F) mixtures of extractants from groups (A) to (E) above or mixtures of at least one of the above extractants and at least one other extractant.

Abstract: Chitin from microbial biomass is converted to chitosan and recovered as an essentially glucan-free product. The method involves contacting the biomass with a strong alkali solution at a temperature within the range of from 60.degree. to 90.degree. C. for a period of at least 10 hours to form an insoluble chitosan/glucan residue. The chitosan is then recovered by adding dilute acid to the residue to dissolve it without dissolving the glucan which can then be recovered separately.

Abstract: It has now been found that grape pomace can be employed as a substrate for citric acid production using Aspergillus niger as the fermentation agent.

Abstract: Apple pomace, the residue left from juice extraction, can be employed as a substrate for citric acid production using Aspergillus niger as the fermentation agent.

Abstract: New tetra-alkyl-2,2,5,5-cyclohexanone-4-ol-1-compounds and their sulphonyl derivatives with the general formula: ##STR1## in which: each of R and R', identical or different, represents an alkyl radical (1-5 carbons) and R" represents a hydrogen atom or a radical SO.sub.2 R"' in which R"' represents an alkyl radical (1-5 carbons) or an aryl radical (6-14 carbons), the process and the intermediates for their preparation, as well as their use in the synthesis of cyclopropane lactones of cis structure.

Abstract: A plant growth regulator comprising, as its active component, one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of [+]-hexylitaconic acid, and the dihydro derivative and lower alkyl monoesters thereof is effective for growth regulation of plants.

Abstract: This is a method for degumming decorticated plant bast fiber, such as ramie, flax, or hemp bast fiber, to remove pectin-containing material and coloring gums therefrom. The decorticated plant bast fiber is desirably washed with a washing solution containing a surface active agent to penetrate the plant bast fiber and remove water soluble material and other debris therefrom. The washed plant bast fiber is then rinsed. The washed and rinsed plant bast fiber is treated with an aqueous acidic treatment solution of fungal pectinase for a period of time of between 10 and 30 minutes to remove the pectin from the plant fiber. The acidic treatment solution is maintained at an elevated temperature in the range of between 60.degree. C. and 70.degree. C. and has a pH between about 2.0 and 3.5. Thereafter, the plant bast fiber with the pectin removed therefrom, is removed from the acidic treatment solution and a sufficient amount of NaOH is added thereto to increase the pH of the treatment solution to about 11.0.

Abstract: A method of enhancing a fungus-lytic activity of .beta.-1,3-D-glucanase which comprises using said glucanase in the presence of one or more of the activators selected from the group consisting of sodium lauroylsarcosinate, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylenealkyl ether, benzalkonium chloride, ammonium chloride, chlorhexidine glucuronate, methylparaben, propylparaben, trypsin, Pronase.RTM. and Alcalase.RTM..A method of enhancing a fungus-lytic activity of .beta.-1,3-D-glucanase which comprises using two .beta.-1,3-D-glucanases of different origins is also provided.

Abstract: A method for degumming decorticated plant bast fiber, such as ramie flax, or hemp bast fiber, to remove pectin-containing material therefrom. The decorticated plant bast fiber is washed with a washing solution containing a surface active agent to penetrate the plant bast fiber to remove water soluble material therefrom. The washed plant bast fiber is then rinsed. The washed and rinsed plant bast fiber is treated with an aqueous, acidic treatment solution of fungal pectinase for a period of time between about 10 to 20 minutes to degum the plant fiber. The treatment solution is maintained at an elevated temperature in the range between about 60.degree. C. and 65.degree. C. and has a pH between about 2.0 and 3.5.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of acid stable protease having a broad activity spectrum in high yields from mutants of the fungus Aspergillus, and the mutants used therein.

Abstract: A method for degumming decorticated plant bast fiber such as ramie bast fiber, to remove pectin-containing material therefrom. The decorticated plant bast fiber is washed with a washing solution containing a surface active agent to penetrate the plant bast fiber to remove water soluble material therefrom. The washed plant bast fiber is then rinsed. The washed and rinsed plant bast fiber is treated with an aqueous, acidic treatment solution of fungal pectinase for a period of time up to about one hour to degum the plant fiber. The treatment solution is maintained at an elevated temperature and has a pH between about 2.0 and about 4.5.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing adipic acid from a renewable resource, i.e., biomass. The process comprises: hydrolyzing the renewable resource to provide 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, hydrogenating the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in the presence of a catalyst to provide 2, 5-tetrahydrofurandiomethanol, treating the 2, 5-tetrahydrofurandiomethanol with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to provide 1, 6 hexanediol, and oxidizing the 1, 6 hexanediol in the presence of a microorganism to provide adipic acid. The formation of the adipic acid is provided with the microorganism of Gluconobacter oxydans subsp. oxydans. The renewable resources are wastes selected from the group consisting of paper, wood, corn stalks, and logging residues.

Abstract: Novel fat compositions are provided suitable for use as cocoabutter substitutes, which consist substantially of symmetrical disaturated triglycerides of C.sub.16 and C.sub.18 fatty acids. They may be obtained by interesterification in the presence or absence of the free fatty acids, using a 1,3-selective lipase enzyme catalyst to effect a limited degree of randomization in these positions.

Abstract: Saccharifying starch hydrolysate to a high DX glucose syrup at pH 3-5 by the enzyme mixture of a glucoamylase and an acidophilic iso-amylase. A lower dosage level than the heretofore conventional glucoamylase dosage may be employed and higher DX glucose syrups can be obtained.

Abstract: A process is disclosed wherein D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid is produced fermentatively from isobutyric acid or methacrylic acid by the stereoselective action of microorganisms having the ability to convert isobutyric acid or methacrylic acid into D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid in an aqueous medium, and D(-)-.beta.-hydroxyisobutyric acid is recovered from the aqueous medium.

Abstract: A glyceride product is prepared by interesterifying a glyceride mixture in the presence of a lipase as a catalyst with a dihydric alcohol, a trihydric alcohol, or mixture thereof, said glyceride mixture being composed of at least two different glycerides or at least one glyceride and at least one fatty acid.

Abstract: Derivatives, analogs, and congeners of prostane having a 1-(hydroxymethyl)-1-oxo-prostane structure in the F.sub.1 series.

Abstract: A novel pectin esterase which randomly hydrolyzes the methyl ester bond of pectin can be obtained by cultivating, on a medium, a mold strain belonging to Genus Aspergillus, Genus Penicillium, Genus Fusarium or Genus Sclerotinia and having an ability to produce said novel pectin esterase. A demethoxylated pectin having a uniform methoxyl group content can be obtained by adding said novel pectin esterase to pectin. The demethoxylated pectin thus obtained can be utilized as gelling agent, emulsifier or thickener for food processing.

Abstract: Glucoamylase is prepared by fermenting a microorganism capable of producing glucoamylase in a nutrient medium containing at least about 16% to about 25% of ground corn which has been liquefied by the action of heat, water and an alpha-amylase enzyme preparation. The alpha-amylase enzyme preparation is preferably derived from a microorganism of Bacillus licheniformis.