Atte Mikkelson

Supercritical water treatment for cello-oligosaccharide production from microcrystalline cellulose

Microcrystalline cellulose was treated in supercritical water at 380 °C and at a pressure of 250 bar for 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6s. The yield of the ambient-water-insoluble precipitate and its average molar mass decreased with an extended treatment time. The highest yield of 42 wt% for DP2-9 cello-oligosaccharides was achieved after the 0.4s treatment. The reaction products included also 11 wt% ambient-water-insoluble precipitate with a DP(w) of 16, and 6.1 wt% monomeric sugars, and 37 wt% unidentified degradation products. Oligo- and monosaccharide-derived dehydration and retro-aldol fragmentation products were analyzed via a combination of HPAEC-PAD-MS, ESI-MS/MS, and GC-MS techniques. The total amount of degradation products increased with treatment time, and fragmented (glucosyl(n)-erythrose, glucosyl(n)-glycolaldehyde), and dehydrated (glucosyl(n)-levoglucosan) were identified as the main oligomeric degradation products from the cello-oligosaccharides.

Hydrolysis of konjac glucomannan by Trichoderma reesei mannanase and endoglucanases Cel7B and Cel5A for the production of glucomannooligosaccharides.

In this paper we describe the enzymatic hydrolysis of konjac glucomannan for the production of glucomannooligosaccharides using purified Trichoderma reesei mannanase, endoglucanases EGI (Tr Cel7b) and EGII (Tr Cel5a). Hydrolysis with each of the three enzymes produced a different pattern of oligosaccharides. Mannanase was the most selective of the three enzymes in the hydrolysis of konjac mannan and over 99% of the formed oligosaccharides had mannose as their reducing end pyranosyl unit. Tr Cel5A hydrolysate shared similarities with mannanase and Tr Cel7B hydrolysates and the enzyme had the lowest substrate specificity of the studied enzymes. The hydrolysate of Tr Cel7B contained a series of oligosaccharides with non-reducing end mannose (M) and reducing end glucose (G) (MG, MMG, MMMG, and MMMMG). These oligosaccharides were isolated from the hydrolysate by size exclusion chromatography in relatively high purity (86-95%) and total yield (23% of substrate). The isolated oligosaccharides were characterized using acid hydrolysis and HPAEC-PAD (carbohydrate composition), HPLC-RI and HPAEC-MS (to determine the DP of purified oligosaccharides), enzymatic hydrolysis (determination of non-reducing end carbohydrate) and NMR (both 1D and 2D, to verify structure and purity of purified compounds). Hydrolysis of konjac mannan with a specific enzyme, such as T. reesei Cel7B or mannanase, followed by fractionation with SEC offers the possibility to produce glucomannooligosaccharides with defined structure. The isolated oligosaccharides can be utilised as analytical standards, for determination of bioactivity of oligosaccharides with defined structure or as substrates for defining substrate specificity of novel carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes.

Analysis of Beers from an 1840s’ Shipwreck

Two bottles of beer from an about 170-year-old shipwreck (M1 Fö 403.3) near the Åland Islands in the Baltic Sea were analyzed. Hop components and their degradation compounds showed that the bottles contained two different beers, one more strongly hopped than the other. The hops used contained higher levels of β-acids than modern varieties and were added before the worts were boiled, converting α-acids to iso-α-acids and β-acids to hulupones. High levels of organic acids, carbonyl compounds, and glucose indicated extensive bacterial and enzyme activity during aging. However, concentrations of yeast-derived flavor compounds were similar to those of modern beers, except that 3-methylbutyl acetate was unusually low in both beers and 2-phenylethanol and possibly 2-phenylethyl acetate were unusually high in one beer. Concentrations of phenolic compounds were similar to those in modern lagers and ales.

Hydrothermal treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization as means to valorise agro- and forest-based biomass residues

The suitability of several abundant but underutilized agro and forest based biomass residues for hydrothermal treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis as well as for hydrothermal carbonization was studied. The selected approaches represent simple biotechnical and thermochemical treatment routes suitable for wet biomass. Based on the results, the hydrothermal pre-treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis seemed to be most suitable for processing of carbohydrate rich corn leaves, corn stover, wheat straw and willow. High content of thermally stable components (i.e. lignin) and low content of ash in the biomass were advantageous for hydrothermal carbonization of grape pomace, coffee cake, Scots pine bark and willow.

Plant cells as food – A concept taking shape

Plant cell cultures from cloudberry, lingonberry and stoneberry were studied in terms of their nutritional properties as food. Carbohydrate, lipid and protein composition, in vitro protein digestibility and sensory properties were investigated. Dietary fibre content varied between 21.2 and 36.7%, starch content between 0.3 and 1.3% and free sugar content between 17.6 and 33.6%. Glucose and fructose were the most abundant sugars. High protein contents between 13.7 and 18.9% were recorded and all samples had a balanced amino acid profile. In vitro protein digestion assay showed hydrolysis by digestive enzymes in fresh cells but only limited hydrolysis in freeze-dried samples. The lipid analysis indicated that the berry cells were rich sources of essential, polyunsaturated fatty acids. In sensory evaluation, all fresh berry cells showed fresh odour and flavour. Fresh cell cultures displayed a rather sandy, coarse mouthfeel, whereas freeze-dried cells melted quickly in the mouth. All in all the potential of plant cells as food was confirmed.

Deposition of xylan isolated from Pennisetum purpureum on fibres of Eucalyptus globulus and characterisation of the composition of the surface xylans by immunolabelling and enzymatic peeling

Abstract Adsorption of xylan on pulp is a potential method to improve its properties, especially refinability for high quality printing and writing (P&W) paper grades. In this study, elephant grass [Pennisetum purpureum (Schumach.)] xylan was used for this purpose. The xylan was extracted using cold caustic extraction (CCE) from P. purpureum brown pulp, produced by the Soda-AQ process (kappa 20). Xylan resorption was accomplished during the oxygen delignification phase of eucalypt [Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.)] pulp to avoid problems induced by the colour of the lignin-contaminated deposited xylan. Immunolabelling and enzymatic peeling methodologies were compared for the analysis of the spatial distribution of xylan in the fibre wall. The labelling appeared unevenly as faint and brighter patches on fibre surfaces. Increased labelling of xylan was detected on the samples with precipitated P. purpureum xylan. The enzymatic peeling method using a total hydrolysis enzyme mixture yielded a composition gradient as a function of time, showing clear xylose (Xyl) enrichment in the very beginning of the reaction, reflecting hydrolysis of fibre surfaces. Pure xylanase and endoglucanase hydrolyses yielded different product patterns and kinetics compared to total hydrolysis, but interpretation of those results in terms of xylan localisation was not straightforward.