Bioproduction of D-psicose from allitol with Enterobacter aerogenes IK7: a new frontier in rare ketose production.

D-psicose, a new alternative sweetener, was produced from allitol by microbial oxidation of the newly isolated strain Enterobacter aerogenes IK7. Cells grown in tryptic soy broth medium (TSB) supplemented with D-mannitol at 37 degrees C were found to have the best oxidation potential. The cells, owing to broad substrate specificity, oxidized various polyols (tetritol, pentitol, and hexitol) to corresponding rare ketoses. By a resting cell reaction, 10% of allitol was completely transformed to the product D-psicose, which thus becomes economically feasible for the mass production of D-psicose. Finally, the product was crystallized and confirmed to be D-psicose by analytical methods.