Process for treating yeast with B-1, 3-glucanase to produce microcapsules for enclosing hydrophobic liquids

摘要

Microorganism cells such as Saccharomyces or Candida yeast cells are treated with an alkaline aqueous solution with heating and stirring or with a cell wall dissolving enzyme such as glucanase or mannase to obtain cells that function as microcapsules by rapidly taking up a large amount of hydrophobic liquid. Treatment with an alkaline aqueous solution is preferably carried out at a pH of at least 8 for at least 1 hour at a temperature of 20 DEG -100 DEG C. A preferred embodiment of enzyme treatment is with beta -1,3-glucanase for about 30 minutes to 5 hours at pH 4-9 at a temperature of 30 DEG -60 DEG C. The treatments dissolve cell walls of the yeast such that the walls still have sufficient strength for enclosing hydrophobic liquids.