Utilization of vegetable wastes for production of protease by solid state fermentation using Aspergillus niger.

摘要

Globally over 50 million tons of vegetable wastes are generated every year. Microbial technology proves to be a critical tool to combat the problem of organic waste management. The present study was taken up to utilize different vegetable wastes as input for protease production using Aspergillus niger. Wastes like potato, pumpkin, cauliflower, cabbage and brinjal procured from local market served as substrates for the solid state fermentation. Various parameters like pH, temperature and incubation time were optimized. Among the various substrates examined, it was inferred that cauliflower and cabbage yielded the maximum enzyme activity 1.082 U/g of substrate and 0.886 U/g of substrate after 96 hours, respectively. The temperature optimum for the substrates were recorded at 30 degrees C for cauliflower and 35 degrees C for cabbage at an optimum of pH 6 for both the substrates. Highest total protein content of 291.54 micro g/ml was recorded for cauliflower among all other substrates. Estimation of specific activities for individual substrates conferred the highest upon pumpkin with 13.44 U/mg protein/ml, with comparable results obtained for cauliflower and cabbage. This study presents a novel - economical approach for the bioconversion of vegetable wastes for the production of protease that is industrially significant.