: Sugar beet pulp (SBP) is a waste product of the sugar industry which is rich in ferulic acid. Few ferulic acid esterases (FAEs) that are capable of releasing ferulic acid from SBP or from SBP soluble feruloylated oligosaccharides (SFO-SBP) have been described. Streptomyces avermitilis CECT 3339 was grown in medium containing SBP or destarched wheat bran (DSWB) as the carbon source. FAE activity was evaluated in terms of the micro-organism's capacity to release ferulic acid from DSWB, SBP, SFO-DSWB and SFO-SBP. S avermitilis showed FAE activity in both media and was able to release ferulic acid from DSWB, SFO-DSWB and SFO-SBP. A comparison of the FAE activity detected in each medium indicated that diþ erent activities were induced by each type of carbon source.1999 Society of Chemical Industry ( Keywords : Streptomyces ; ferulic acid esterase ; sugar beet pulp ; wheat bran INTRODUCTIONFerulic acid esterase (FAE) is an enzyme capable of hydrolysing sugar-phenolic acid ester linkages. There has recently been considerable interest in FAE and its potential application in obtaining ferulic acid from agro-industrial waste materials such as those produced by the milling, brewing and sugar industries.1 The enzyme has been described in fungi and bacteria,2 but only four FAE producing streptomycetes have been previously reported : Streptomyces olivochromogenes, Streptomyces sp strains C-248 and C-254,3 and Streptomyces avermitilis.4Sugar beet pulp (SBP), a by-product of the sugar industry, is relatively rich in ferulic acid (approximately 1%). Very few FAEs, however, are capable of releasing ferulic acid from SBP5 or from the soluble feruloylated oligosaccharides which may be obtained from SBP (SFO-SBP).6,7 In fact, only one FAE capable of releasing ferulic acid from SBP or SFO-SBP has been described in streptomycetes.8 The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the ferulic acid releasing FAE activity of S avermitilis CECT 3339 from SFO-SBP and other substrates when grown in the presence of destarched wheat bran (DSWB) or SBP.

Sugar beet pulp (SBP) is a waste product of the sugar industry which is rich in ferulic acid. Few ferulic acid esterases (FAEs) that are capable of releasing ferulic acid from SBP or from SBP soluble feruloylated oligosaccharides (SFO‐SBP) have been described. Streptomyces avermitilis CECT 3339 was grown in medium containing SBP or destarched wheat bran (DSWB) as the carbon source. FAE activity was evaluated in terms of the micro‐organism's capacity to release ferulic acid from DSWB, SBP, SFO‐DSWB and SFO‐SBP. S avermitilis showed FAE activity in both media and was able to release ferulic acid from DSWB, SFO‐DSWB and SFO‐SBP. A comparison of the FAE activity detected in each medium indicated that different activities were induced by each type of carbon source. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry