Low molecular weight dextran: Immobilization of cells of Leuconostoc mesenteroides KIBGE HA1 on calcium alginate beads

Dextran is a long chain polymer of d-glucose produced by different bacterial strains including Leuconostoc, Streptococcus and Acetobacter. The bacterial cells from Leuconostoc mesenteroides KIBGE HA1 were immobilized on calcium alginate for dextran production. It was observed that dextran production increases as the temperature increases and after reaching maxima (30 °C) production started to decline. It was also observed that at 50 °C free cells stopped producing dextran, while immobilized cells continued to produce dextran even after 60 °C and still not exhausted. It was found that when 10 g% substrate (sucrose) was used, maximum dextran production was observed. Immobilized cells produced dextran upto 12 days while free cells stopped producing dextran only after 03 days. Molecular mass distribution of dextran produced by immobilized cells is low as compared to free cells.