β-Glucan type oligomers which have angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity were isolated and characterized from Capsosiphon fulvescens. After C. fulvescens was hydrolysis with Alcalase at 50 o C, supernatant was harvested and separated with ultrafiltration membrane (MWCO 2 kDa). Oligomers which were less than 2 kDa of molecular weight were harvested for characterization. The nutrient composition of Alcalase hydrolysate was 89.9% carbohydrate, 4.2% protein and 5.9% sulfate. After ultrafiltration, the nutrient composition of oligomers was changed to 99.88% carbohydrate, 0.07% protein and 0.05% sulfate. The carbohydrate composition of oligomer was glucose (97.2%) and mannose (1.5%). The ACE inhibitory activities of Alcalase hydrolysate and oligomer were 72.1% and 82%, respectively. The molecular weight of oligomer was about 1 kDa. The oligomer was analyzed with FT-IR, 1 H-NMR and methylation. The oligomers were β-1,3-glucans with β-(1,3)-linked glucose units.

The hydrolysates prepared with various enzyme digestion of Capsosiphon fulvescens were used to measure the inhibitory effects against angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE). The commercially available enzymes such as Celluclast, Viscozyme, Lysing enzyme, Flavourzyme, Alcalase and Pectinex were used to digest C. fulvescens and produce hydrolysates. The maximum ACE inhibitory activity was observed using Alcalase hydrolysis (72.9%). The optimal conditions of Alcalase extraction were pH 8.0 and extraction time for 12 hr. The hydrolysates were fractionated using preparative-LC and anion-exchange chromatography on DEAEcellulose and the fraction B and B-2 were isolated. The ACE inhibitory activity of fraction B-2 by anion-exchange chromatography was 82.6%. The molecular weight of fraction B-2 estimated using size exclusion chromatography was about 1 kDa. The monosaccharide composition of the fraction B-2 was determined to be mannose (1.1%), glucuronic acid (1.3%), galactose (1.3%) and glucose (96.3%).

pH controlled batch reactor and bubble column reactors have been developed in this research. They were used to produce high concentration of GABA and to determine optimal pH for GABA production. Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) was isolated from recombinant E. coli and used for GABA production from monosodium glutamate (MSG). pH control was inevitable because the pH increased with MSG consumption. GAD showed highest activity at acidic conditions at pH 5.5 but the optimal pH for GABA production was pH 6.0. When 1.5 mole of MSG was used as reactant, the 1.05 mole of GABA was produced after 10 hrs batch reaction. Using bubble column reactors, 80 % of MSG was converted to GABA for 6 hrs reaction and 1.2 mole of GABA was produced.