Aplicación de una nueva FAE en la liberación químico- enzimática de ácido ferúlico a partir de pulpa de remolacha.

The main objective of this project was to develop a new profitable process to obtain ferulic acid by applying a chemical- enzymatic process on the residual sugar beet pulp (SBP). For the enzymatic reaction, we used a new feruloyl acid esterase that has been developed specifically in and for sugar beet pulp. We examined the ability of a new feruloyl acid esterase (FAE) of fungal origin (Penicillium chrysogenum) grown on sugar beet pulp (SBP) to release ferulic acid from this by-product obtained from the sugar industry. We showed the ability of the new feruloyl acid esterase (FAE) to hydrolyze esters linkages releasing ferulic acid. The performance of that enzyme was compared to a commercial FAE (Depol D740 Biocatalyst) using two extraction methods combining chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis. The data obtained for each of the methods were statistically compared and the new FAE was found to be more efficient than the commercial one at releasing ferulic acid. Our results are of high industrial interest since SBP can be used as a culture medium (carbon source) and as a source of ferulic acid. From the viewpoint of industrial application, the method with the highest yield resulted from the combination of an alkaline hydrolysis followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. As shown by the analysis, we should not underestimate the nutritional value of the resulting hydrolyzate as an interesting source of livestock feed.