Biocatalytic production of D-tagatose: A potential rare sugar with versatile applications

Abstract

D-tagatose is a naturally existing rare monosaccharide having prebiotic properties. Minimal absorption, low metabolizing energy, and unique clinical properties are the characteristics of D-tagatose. D-tagatose gained international attention by matching the purpose of alternate sweeteners that is much needed for the control of diabetes among world population. Recent efforts in understanding tagatose bioconversion have generated essential information regarding its production and application. This article reviews the evolution of D-tagatose as an important rare sugar by appreciable improvements in production results and its significant applications resulted of its unique physical, chemical, biological, and clinical properties thus considering it an appropriate product for requisite improvements in technical viability. Based on current knowledge and technology projections, the commercialization of D-tagatose rare sugar as food additive is close to reality.

The Rare Sugar Tagatose Differentially Inhibits the Growth of Phytophthora infestans and Phytophthora cinnamomi by Interfering With Mitochondrial Processes

“…The implementation of industrial enzymatic and microbial processes lowered the cost of rare sugar synthesis (Granström et al, 2004;Izumori, 2006;Oh, 2007) and made scientific studies and technological applications of these carbohydrates more accessible (Oh, 2007;Li et al, 2013). Twenty hexoses (e.g., tagatose, allose, gulose, and sorbose) and nine pentoses (e.g., lyxose, xylulose, and xylitol) have been classified as rare sugars by the international society of rare sugars (Ahmed, 2001;Jayamuthunagai et al, 2017). Among them, tagatose is a ketohexose that was found naturally at low concentration (<3 mg/g) in many foods, such as apples, oranges, and milk (Vastenavond et al, 2011).…”

Overcoming the thermodynamic equilibrium of an isomerization reaction through oxidoreductive reactions for biotransformation

“…As a result, the production costs of rare sugars are significantly higher than HFCS, which does not require additional separation. Due to this high production cost, introduction of rare sugars into foods and beverages has been hampered in spite of potential benefits of rare sugars 4 .…”

Food Industrial Production of Monosaccharides Using Microbial, Enzymatic, and Chemical Methods

“…With regard to health benefits, this sugar has low caloric value [65], has inhibitory effects against metabolic syndrome, and is beneficial to teeth by suppressing the growth of S. mutans [66]. Recent reviews on the efficacy of tagatose have described this sugar in detail [25]. Tagatose is manufactured by chemical methods or enzymatic methods.…”

“…Compared with the chemical method, enzymes from some microbes (ex. Thermotoga species), including l-arabinose isomerase, also catalyze the conversion of d-galactose to d-tagatose [25]. Thus, d-tagatose production has been achieved by chemical and enzymatic methods.…”