RECYCLING OF ENZYMES FROM BIOREACTORS

A method of conducting an enzymatic process in which the enzymes are recovered and reused in at least a second iteration of the process, wherein each iteration of the process comprises the steps of: (a) providing a heterogeneous substrate solution, in which the substrate is fully soluble, partially soluble or insoluble; (b) adding an enzyme or mixture of enzymes to the heterogeneous substrate solution; and (c) allowing an enzymatic reaction of the substrate to proceed; wherein, after completion of step (c) for each iteration, the enzyme is recovered from the mixture resulting from step (c) according to the following steps: (d) conducting a non-packed-bed adsorption process comprising contacting the reaction mixture with an adsorbent that adsorbs the enzyme in order to separate the enzyme from the reaction mixture resulting from step (c); (e) optionally washing unbound material from the adsorbent; and (f) desorbing the enzyme from the adsorbent; and further wherein the desorbed enzyme obtained in step (f) is used in step (b) of at least one subsequent iteration of the process.