• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.504-510
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• 1992

Several single or mixed water-miscible organic solvent systems were investigated to develop the most effective solvent system for enzymatic synthesis of N-benzoylaspartame(BzAPM). The BzAPM was prepared by immobilized thermolysin with using N-benzoyl-L-aspartic acid(Bz-Asp) and L-phenylalanine methyl ester(PheOMe). The solubilities of BzAPM and L-phenylalanine were highest in 4.5% methanol(1.89 and 1.79%, respectively) among the solvents system investigated while a mixed solvent system of 25% dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) and 20% polyethylene glycol(PEG) 200 showed relatively high values. The synthetic activity of BzAPM as well as initial reaction rate were found to be high in 45% methanol, 45% DMSO and a mixed solvent of 25% DMSO and 20% PEM 200. The imobilized thermolysin was most stable in 25% DMSO and 20% PEG 200 during storage at $40^{\circ}C$ for 42 days. PheOMe in the same solvent system was also found fairly stable against non-enzymatic decomposition at $40^{\circ}C$. Based on the synthetic efficiency and stability, the solvent system containing 25% DMSO and 20% PEG 200 was selected to be appropriate for the enzymatic synthesis of BzAPM.