Application of agave subproducts for production of microbial inulinases (Aplicación de subproductos del Agave para la producción de inulinasas microbianas)

During tequila production, a huge amount of waste is produced, including leaves. Main compounds found in these subproducts are polysaccharides. Current review focuses on the use of these agricultural wastes to obtain inulinases, and in the production of high fructose syrup using these enzymes in these wastes. Currently, high fructose syrups, have prompted much interest for their benefits to health due to its low glycemic index and their function as prebiotic in the intestinal flora. The main microorganisms involved with inulinases production belong to the genera Aspergillus and Kluyveromyces. The latter is preferred due to its high temperature tolerance (52 °C). This review emphasizes on the advances achieved in the production of inulinases by yeast K. marxianus.