# US 7,611,872 B2 · Method for the production of D-pantothenic acid and/or salts thereof via purification by nanofiltration as adjunct for animal feedstuffs

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- Number: US 7,611,872 B2
- Document ID: US7611872B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/468,564
- Filed: 2002-02-20
- Published: 2004-03-18
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2002-02-20
- Assignees: BASF SE
- Inventors: Christine Beck; Hans-Peter Harz; Daniela Klein; Martin Leemann; Markus Lohscheidt; Stefan Bitterlich; Hartwig Voβ
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611872B2

## CPC

- C12P 13/02: Amides, e.g. chloramphenicol {or polyamides; Imides or polyimides; Urethanes, i.e. compounds comprising N-C=O structural element or polyurethanes (peptides C12P21/00 or C07K)}
- A23K 10/12: by fermentation of natural products, e.g. of vegetable material, animal waste material or biomass
- A23K 20/174: Vitamins
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- A23K: FODDER

## Abstract

The invention relates to an improved method for the production of D-pantothenic acid and/or salts thereof and use thereof as adjunct for animal feedstuffs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for preparing D-pantothenic acid and/or salts thereof, which comprises
a) fermenting at least one D-pantothenic-acid-producing bacterium from the Bacillaceae family, the pantothenic acid (pan) and optionally the isoleucine/valine (ilv) biosynthesis of which is deregulated and which forms at least 2 g/l of salts of D-pantothenic acid by fermentation in a culture medium,
b) salts containing polyvalent cations being fed to the D-pantothenate formed, polyvalent salts of D-pantothenic acid being formed,
c) the solution containing polyvalent salts of D-pantothenic acid being worked up by nanofiltration, the polyvalent salts of D-pantothenic acid being enriched and
d) the nanofiltration retentate containing polyvalent salts of D-pantothenic acid being subjected to drying and/or formulation, wherein free β-alanine and/or β-alanine salt is not fed to the culture medium, and wherein deregulated panthothenic acid biosynthesis is achieved by overexpressing one or more genes in the pan and optionally in the ilv synthesis pathways, wherein said overexpressed genes include at least the panD gene.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bacterium is of the genus Bacillus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step a), a content of D-pantothenic acid and/or salts thereof of at least 10 g/l of culture medium is formed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein cell mass or components precipitated out in the solution is/are separated off before the nanofiltration in step c).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the separation is carried out by decanting or membrane filtration.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the membrane filtration is carried out as diafiltration.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein salts containing polyvalent cations are added in solid form or aqueous solution during, at the end of, or after, the fermentation in step a) or during, or after, a membrane filtration of a D-pantothenate-containing solution.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein salts containing polyvalent cations are added in solid form or aqueous solution during a nanofiltration.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein an aqueous solution containing polyvalent cations is fed continuously.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the polyvalent cations are added as calcium and/or magnesium chloride, nitrate, hydroxide, formate, acetate, propionate, glycinate and/or lactate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the polyvalent cation fed is Ca2+ at a concentration of 0.05-50 mol of Ca2+/mol of D-pantothenate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the nanofiltration in step c), a pressure difference across the membrane in the range of 5-100 bar is built up.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nanofiltration in step c) reduces the content of monovalent cations to a concentration of ≦5 g/kg of solution.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the permeate from step c) or a part thereof is recirculated to the fermentation in step a).

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the permeate or parts thereof are recirculated continuously.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retentate from c) is a suspension containing polyvalent salts of D-pantothenic acid.