Screening and optimization of different process parameters for the production of endo-pectinase by Aspergillus sojae

FRATEBIANCHI DE LA PARRA, DANTE; EVCAN, EZGI; GÖGUS, NIHAN; UNLUTURK, SEVCAN; CAVALITTO, SEBASTIÁN FERNANDO; TARI, CANAN

Mar del Plata

Encuentro; VIII Encuentro Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Biotecnología REDBIO-Argentina 2013; 2013

Fundacion Redbio Internacional

Pectinases are widely used enzymes in the food industry. Endo-pectinase production by the filamentous fungi Aspergillus sojae in submerged cultures was analyzed. A preliminary study showed that A. sojae produces endo-pectinase with orange peel as carbon source with activity values between 2-3 U/ml.  The cultures were performed at 30°C in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks with 50 ml medium. Spore suspensions used as inoculum were obtained from molasses agar slants using 0,02 % Tween-80 water. A full factorial statistical design with three factors was performed: media composition (orange peel, apple pomace, wheat bran), incubation time (4, 6, 8 days) and orbital shaker agitation rate (150, 300 rpm). All three factors were found significant (p ≤ 0,100) regarding endo-pectinase production.  For the optimization step orange peel was selected as the best substrate for maximum endo-pectinase production, and the agitation rate was fixed to 300 rpm. Incubation time (A), inoculum ratio (B) and initial pH of the culture medium (C) were optimized using a face-centered central composite design. High and low levels for each factor were: A, 6/10 days; B, 3x103/3x105 spores/ml; C, 3.4/5,4. At the optimal conditions found, a 10-fold increment in the endo-pectinase activity was reached comparing with the preliminary study