Process for producing alfa-hydroxy acid or alfa-hydroxyamide by microorganism

摘要

A process for producing an alpha -hydroxy acid or an alpha -hydroxyamide which comprises treating an aldehyde and prussic acid or an alpha -hydroxynitrile with a microorganism having nitrilase or nitrile hydratase activity in an aqueous medium and maintaining the aldehyde concentration and/or the alpha -hydroxynitrile concentration in the reaction mixture within a predetermined range. Also disclosed is a process for producing an alpha -hydroxy acid or an alpha -hydroxyamide from an aldehyde and prussic acid with a microorganism in an aqueous medium, which comprises maintaining the cyanogen concentration in the reaction mixture within a predetermined range and supplying the aldehyde to the reaction mixture at a predetermined ratio to the prussic acid.