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ABSTRACT
This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the production of amylase, a crucial enzyme with wide-ranging industrial applications, using locally sourced substrates from Kachchh, Gujarat. The research employed the Bacillus licheniformis strain and substrates such as coconut, rice husk, wheat bran, paddy straw, and maize straw. The study found paddy straw to be the most promising substrate for amylase production. The research also systematically optimized various process parameters for amylase production in Solid-State Fermentation (SSF) using the One Variable at a Time (OVAT) method. These parameters included incubation period, temperature, inoculum level, additional carbon sources, starch concentrations, additional nitrogen sources, initial pH, different mineral salt ions, initial moisture level, and surfactants. The results showed that the optimal conditions for maximum amylase yield were an incubation period of 48 hours, an incubation temperature of 35°C, an inoculum level of 10%, starch as the additional carbon source, a starch concentration of 2.5%, yeast extract as the additional nitrogen source, an initial pH of 7, NaCl as the mineral salt, an initial moisture level of 75%, and Tween 80 as the surfactant. This research provides a reliable and sustainable approach to enzyme production, offering valuable insights for the optimization of the solid-state fermentation process for maximum amylase production.
Key Words:
Amylase
Optimization
Agricultural waste
Solid state fermentation
INTRODUCTION
Enzymes play a pivotal role in numerous industrial applications, catalyzing biochemical reactions with remarkable specificity and efficiency. Among these enzymes, amylase holds a significant position due to its wide-ranging applications in various industries, including food, textiles, and biofuel production. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) has emerged as an environmentally friendly and economically viable approach for amylase production, using agricultural waste as a substrate (Souza & Magalhaes 2010).
Amylase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes starch into simpler sugars, is crucial for many industrial processes. Traditionally, amylase has been produced using submerged fermentation; however, SSF offers distinct advantages, such as reduced water consumption, higher enzyme stability, and the use of solid substrates, particularly agricultural waste. This shift towards SSF aligns with the global efforts to develop sustainable and eco-friendly processes in the biotechnological industry (Saxena & Singh 2011).
Agricultural waste, a substantial byproduct of farming activities, poses environmental challenges when not effectively managed. The utilization of these agricultural residues as substrates for SSF...