β-Galactosidase from Lactobacillus plantarum HF571129 was immobilized on zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using adsorption and cross-linking technique. Immobilized β-galactosidase showed broad-spectrum pH optima at pH 5–7.5 and temperature 50–60 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that β-galactosidase successfully immobilized onto supports. Due to the limited diffusion of high molecular weight substrate, Km of immobilized enzyme slightly increased from 6.64 to 10.22 mM, while Vmax increased from 147.5 to 192.4 μmol min-1 mg-1 as compared to the soluble enzyme. The cross-linked adsorbed enzyme retained 90 % activity after 1-month storage, while the native enzyme showed only 74 % activity under similar incubation conditions. The cross-linked β-galactosidase showed activity until the seventh cycle and maintained 88.02 % activity even after the third cycle. The activation energy of thermal deactivation from immobilized biocatalyst was 24.33 k-cal/mol with a half-life of 130.78 min at 35 °C. The rate of lactose hydrolysis for batch and packed bed was found to be 0.023 and 0.04 min-1. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015.