Salt-stabilized enzyme preparations
AssigneeGist-Brocades N.V.
InventorsHans-Peter Harz, Roland Jurgen Betz
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Abstract
The present invention discloses methods to improve the processing and storage stability of dry enzyme preparations. To this extend an inorganic salt, e.g. MgSO.sub.4, is dissolved in an enzyme containing solution which is subsequently dried, using e.g. spray drying. Not only does the addition of salt improve the yield of enzyme activity upon drying, also the storage and processing stability of the obtained solid composition containing the enzyme and the inorganic salt are improved with respect to enzyme activity. The invention further discloses solid compositions comprising enzymes and inorganic salts.
Claims15
A solid enzyme composition which is storage- and processing-stable comprising an enzyme component and a water soluble inorganic salt, wherein the concentration of the inorganic salt is at least 5% (w/w) of the weight of said enzyme component, and wherein said inorganic salt comprises a divalent cation selected from the group consisting of zinc and magnesium, wherein said enzyme component comprises at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of a phytase, a protease, a hemicellulase, and a mixture of hemicellulase and cellulase, wherein said composition is homogenous with respect to the distribution of the inorganic salt and the enzyme component, and whereby the composition is obtained by:
- a) preparing a solution comprising the enzyme component and the water soluble inorganic salt, wherein the concentration of the inorganic salt is at least 5% (w/w) of the weight of said enzyme component, and
- b) drying the solution of step a) by the removal of water so as to obtain said solid enzyme composition that is stable upon storage and during processing.
A method for preparing a storage and processing stable solid enzyme composition, comprising the steps of:
- a) preparing an aqueous solution comprising an enzyme, wherein said enzyme is selected from the group consisting of:
- a phytase, a protease, a hemicellulase, and a mixture of a hemicellulase and a cellulase and a water soluble inorganic salt, wherein the concentration of the inorganic salt is at least 5% (w/w) of the weight of the enzyme and wherein the inorganic salt comprises a divalent cation selected from the group consisting of zinc and magnesium, and
- b) drying the solution of step (a) so as to obtain said solid enzyme composition that is stable upon storage and during processing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.