Studies of β-Galactosidase Production and Immobilization Using Novel Bacteria Isolated from the Soil Enriched with Whey

摘要

β-galactosidase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes lactose to glucose and galactose. Lactose is the major sugar present in milk and its hydrolysis makes milk fit for consumption by lactose intolerant people. Enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose is one of the most important biotechnological processes in the food industry. Thus, the continuous efforts are going on to enhance β-galactosidase production and operational stability of immobilized preparations. The present paper deals with isolation of bacteria using soil sample enriched with whey, identification of bacteria, β-galactosidase production and whole cell immobilization to evaluate the potential of isolated bacteria for industrial application.