Three different yeast strains, namely Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn1mnn9, Kluyveromyces lactis JA6/GAA and Zygosaccharomyces bailii [pZ(3)k1IL-1 beta], were entrapped in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel particles, obtained following the commercially available immobilization kit named Lentikat (R). After immobilization in the PVA-gel particles, yeast cells remained viable: colonization of the gel matrix reached up 100 mg d.w. of cells cm(-3) gel for all the strains examined. Lentikats (R) of K. lactis JA6/GAA and Z bailii [pZ(3)kIIL-1 beta] showed to be suitable for the continuous production of glucoamylase and interleukin 1 beta, respectively, when employed under non-selective conditions. They were of easy handiness and showed excellent mechanical properties during prolonged operation in stirred tank reactors. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.