L-lysine is an essencial amino acid used to improve the nutritional quality of human foods and animal feeds.
This amino acid can be produced by selective hydrolysis of the L- a-amino-e-caprolactam, involving firstly the chemical synthesis of DL- a-amino-e-caprolactam.
L-aspartic acid has been used in foods as an acidulant. Recently its demand has been stimulated because it is a component of the dipeptide high intensity sweetener Aspartame.
This amino acid is produced, using an immobilised cell system, in a reaction catalised by a single enzyme - L-aspartate ammonia lyase.In this way, ammonia is added to fumaric acid with the direct formation of the desirable enantiomeric form.