Patent ID: 8536144

Claim:
Natamycin having a release rate of 0.1-2.0 μg/24 hours over the first 24 hours when contacted on a carrier with an agar surface of 0.6 cm diameter at 6° C. and a carrier loading of 40 μg of natamycin, wherein the natamycin is produced from a fermentation broth containing biomass and natamycin, wherein said process comprises: (a) disintegrating the biomass; (b) separating the natamycin from the thus treated fermentation broth to obtain a natamycin suspension, wherein said fermentation broth comprises the biomass and natamycin; (c) adjusting the pH of the natamycin suspension to a value greater than 10 and adding an amount of a substantially water-miscible solvent sufficient to dissolve the natamycin in said natamycin suspension; (d) removing insoluble solids from said pH-adjusted natamycin solution; (e) lowering the pH of said solution obtained in step (d) to a pH of 5 to 8 to precipitate the natamycin; (f) removing the natamycin from said natamycin suspension; (g) optionally, drying of the said removed natamycin; and (h) optionally, reducing the size of the said dried natamycin.