ACETYLATION OF PEA ISOLATE IN A TORUS MICROREACTOR

Acetylation, which acts on the amino groups of proteins, allows to inc rease the solubility and the emulsifying properties of pea isolate. Ac etylation by acetic anhydride was carried out in a torus microreactor in semibatch and continuous conditions. The mixing characteristics, ob tained by a residence time distribution (RTD) method, are the same in batch and continuous processes. The maximum acetylation degree reached by the torus reactor is higher than with the stirred reactor. Torus r eactors are more efficient than stirred ones as shown by a conversion efficiency, defined by the quantity of modified lysine groups by consu med acetic anhydride. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.