The present invention relates to a process for forming a functionalised dietary fibre comprising admixing an enzyme and an aqueous suspension of dietary fibre, wherein said dietary fibre is at a D.sub.50 particle size distribution of less than 30 microns after degradation by the enzyme and comprises less than 25 wt. % soluble fibres and at least 40% wt. % cellulose; denaturing said enzyme to form a functionalised, amphiphilic dietary fibre with adsorbed enzyme. The present invention further relates to a Pickering particle comprising a functionalised dietary fibre and denatured enzyme and the use of the functionalised dietary fibre and denatured enzyme according to present invention or the Pickering particle according to the present invention to stabilize an emulsion.

The invention relates to processes for the conversion of biomass into carbohydrates, notably reducing sugars. It provides means and methods for increasing the yield of enzymatic digestion of a biomass, in particular in methods wherein cellulose is converted into sugars using a cellulose-converting enzyme. More in particular, the invention provides a method for producing a reducing sugar from a lignocellulosic material, wherein the lignocellulosic material is contacted with a pectate lyase at a pH between 9 and 12, wherein the pectate lyase comprises an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence at least 70% identical with SEQ ID NO: 1.

The invention is in the field of biotechnology and involves recombinant DNA technology. It provides means and methods for obtaining an insoluble active fusion protein comprising xylose isomerase activity. More in particular, the invention relates to a method for obtaining active insoluble xylose isomerase, comprising the expression in a host organism of a recombinant gene encoding a fusion protein comprising a xylose isomerase in combination with a PPIase, thereby obtaining the active insoluble xylose isomerase. It also provides recombinant fusion proteins comprising xylose isomerase activity as well as their use in converting xylose to xylulose and glucose to fructose.

Methods to reduce sticky and fluff induced rewinder breaks by reducing the adhesive character of adhesive materials, fluff and sticky contaminants in fibers are described. One method involves contacting the fibers with a composition containing at least one of each of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, a -glucosidase, a lipase, an esterase, a pectinase, a pectate lyase and a laccase for a sufficient time and in a sufficient amount to control the removal or controlling adhesive materials, fluff and sticky contaminants present in the fibers. Preferably, the fibers are recycled fibers originating from a variety of sources such as old corrugated containers, old newsprint, mixed office waste, and the like. Resulting paper products formed from the processed fibers are also described as well as methods to make them.

The invention provides a method of producing a hydrolysed pectic polysaccharide isolate that is enriched in rhamnogalacturonan-I, said method comprising the steps of: providing a pectin-rich substrate that has been obtained from plant material without the use of organic solvent, said pectin-rich substrate containing at least 3% by weight of dry matter of pectic polysaccharides; subjecting the pectin-rich substrate to enzymatic treatment to partially hydrolyse the pectic polysaccharides, said treatment enzymatic treatment comprising the use of one or more pectinases selected from pectin lyase (EC4.2.2.10), pectate lyase (EC 4.2.2.2), rhamnogalacturonan galacturonohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.173), endo-polygalacturonase (EC 3.2.1.15), exopolygalacturonase (EC 3.2.1.67 and EC 3.2.1.82); subjecting the partially hydrolysed pectic polysaccharides to ultrafiltration using an ultrafiltration membrane having a molecular weight cut-off in the range of 5 to 100 kDa; and recovering the ultrafiltration retentate.

The present invention further relates to the hydrolysed pectic polysaccharide isolate obtained by the present method and to a process of preparing a product selected from a nutritional formulation, a food product, a dietary supplement, a beverage or a pharmaceutical product, said process comprising addition of the aforementioned hydrolysed pectic polysaccharide isolate.

The present invention relates in general to bacterial cells having genetic alterations that result in increased expression of a protein of interest and methods of making and using such cells. Aspects of the present invention include altered Gram positive microorganisms having one or more a genetic alterations that reduce the expression of a gene in the sin operon, thereby resulting in the enhanced expression of one or more proteins of interest.

The invention is in the field of protein chemistry, in particular in the field of enzymology. It provides pectinases, i.e. polypeptides with pectin-degrading properties. In particular the invention provides polypeptides with pectate lyase activity (EC 4.2.2.2). Enzymes according to the invention have improved properties, such as improved thermostability and decreased calcium dependence.

Disclosed is a formulation of the following enzymes: Alpha-galactosidase, Alpha amylase, Beta Glucanase, Lactase, BioCor DPP=IV (Proprietary blend) and Pectinase, which has been found to be effective in treating histamine intolerant people, and causing a significant improvement in a wide variety of pathologies and symptoms, including, but not limited to: inflammation, pruritus, urticaria, hypotension, tachycardia, fatigue, migraines, conjunctivitis, incontinence, nasal congestion, panic attacks, acid reflux, depression and angioedema.

The present invention relates to pectate lyase variants exhibiting alterations relative to a parent enzyme exhibiting pectate lyase activity; to a method of producing such enzymes; and to methods for using such enzymes in the textile, detergent and cellulose fiber processing industries. Compared to the parent enzyme, the pectate lyase variants of the present invention exhibit improved stability in detergents.

The invention is in the field of biotechnology and involves recombinant DNA technology. It provides means and methods for obtaining an insoluble active fusion protein comprising xylose isomerase activity. More in particular, the invention relates to a method for obtaining active insoluble xylose isomerase, comprising the expression in a host organism of a recombinant gene encoding a fusion protein comprising a xylose isomerase in combination with a PPIase, thereby obtaining the active insoluble xylose isomerase. It also provides recombinant fusion proteins comprising xylose isomerase activity as well as their use in converting xylose to xylulose and glucose to fructose.