ABSTRACT
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are natural cyclic oligosaccharides formed by the enzymatic degradation of starch or starch derivatives, composed of glucose units, using cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) (Bender and Komiyama, 1978; Saenger, 1980). The preparation process of CDs consists of four principal phases: (1) culturing of the microorganism that produces the CGTase; (2) separation, concentration, and puriŠcation of the enzyme from the fermentation medium; (3) enzymatical conversion of prehydrolyzed starch in mixture of cyclic and acyclic dextrins; and (4) separation of CDs from the mixture, their puriŠcation, and crystallization. CGTase enzymes degrade the starch and produce intramolecular reactions without the water participation. The enzymatic product is usually a mixture of CDs.
