Hydrolytic enzyme production in solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus niger 3T5B8

Abstract A mixture containing polygalacturonase, cellulase, xylanase and protease enzymes was produced using Aspergillus niger 3T5B8 on different agroindustrial residues by solid-state fermentation and tested for vegetable oil extraction. The enzymic activities were evaluated using second-order empirical models from experimental data as a function of fermentation time and cellobiose concentration in the fermentation medium. The use of wheat bran as substrate without cellobiose addition and 42 h of fermentation were the most favourable conditions for producing the mixture of hydrolytic enzymes (polygalacturonase 30.75 U/ml, xylanase 30.62 U/ml, protease 5.27 U/ml). Another favourable condition was obtained when mango peel was used as substrate in the presence of 0.2% cellobiose and 24 h of fermentation (FPCAse 3.5 U/ml, xylanase 20.33 U/ml). Enzymic formulations with suitable polygalacturonase and FPCAse activities were favourable to extract oil from the pulp of tropical fruits and oleaginous seeds.