Cashew gum as an alternative biopolymer for partial replacement of sodium alginate in lipase immobilization

The search for new wall materials for immobilization processes is a research trend based on exploring the intrinsic characteristics of different formulations. Cashew gum has been reported as a promising biopolymer for this purpose due to its rich chemical composition, low cost, and wide range of applications. For instance, in the food industry, cashew gum is employed in the production of microparticles, edible coatings, and as a stabilizing, emulsifying, and thickening agent. There is a lack of studies investigating the immobilization of some new promising lipases, such as Eversa Transform 2.0. In view of this gap, this study aimed to investigate the effect of partial replacement of alginate with cashew gum in Eversa Transform 2.0 immobilization by jet cutting technique. Scanning electron microscopy showed that beads containing 1 % alginate and 1 % cashew gum (CAS) were less porous than beads containing 2 % alginate only (ALG). Thermogravimetric analysis revealed three main degradation steps, with a total mass loss of approximately 70 % for both beads. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that CAS and ALG beads had nitrogen contents of 6.10–6.98 % and 4.68–5.93 %, respectively. In enzyme recovery experiments, ALG and CAS achieved total activity recovery yields of 41.95 % ± 2.01 % and 48.28 % ± 0.21 %, respectively. A batch transesterification experiment showed that both biocatalysts achieved about 90 % triglyceride conversion, resulting in an ester yield of about 40 %. The findings demonstrate that cashew gum is an interesting alternative wall material for heterogeneous biocatalysis, owing to its natural abundance, low cost, and biocompatibility, contributing to the development of cost-effective and sustainable biocatalytic processes. • Jet cutting is an effective technique for producing immobilized lipase. • Beads produced with cashew gum are less porous than alginate-only beads. • XPS showed that both beads had similar nitrogen distribution. • About 90 % triglyceride conversion was achieved in oil transesterification assays. • Ethanol concentration had a significant effect on bead structure and performance.