Citric Acid Fermentation from Mandarin Orange Peel by Aspergillus niger

감귤과피를 기질로 한 Aspergillus niger의 구연산 발효

Most of orange peels are disposed from orange juice manufacturing process. Thus, our purpose is to utilize these orange peels as fermentation substrate. We have investigated culture conditions and factors influencing citric acid production by an isolated strain, Asp. niger. Citric acid production was much higher in semisolid culture than in submerged culture and the particle size of ground orange peels was favored at 20 mesh in semisolid culture. The optimal pH and temperature were 4.5-5.0 and 3$0^{\circ}C$ respectively and the temperature cycling at 35$^{\circ}C$ for 20 hrs durig exponential phase, 1$0^{\circ}C$ for 4 hrs and 3$0^{\circ}C$ during stationary phase showed higher citric acid production than did at fixed temperature, 3$0^{\circ}C$. The addition of NH$_4$NO$_3$0.2%, MgSO$_4$7$H_2O$ 0.1%, methanol 2.5%, ethanol 1.5%, to culture medium promoted citric acid production but the addition of trace metal ions as nutrients had not effect on the acid production in orange peel medium. Under the optimal culture conditions, maximum yield of citric acid was 80.4% in solid medium. Almost of all original components of citrus peel was consumed by Asp. niger during fermentation.

농산 폐자원 중에서도 감귤 가공공정에 따라 부생되는 감귤과피를 발효 기질로서의 이용을 목적으로 분리균 Asp. niger를 사용하여 구연산 발효에 미치는 배양조건 및 영향인자를 조사하였다. 그 결과 고 체 배양에서의 최적조건 즉 감귤과피와 물을 동량 혼합하고 여기에 NH$_4$NO$_3$0.2%, MgSO$_4$7$H_2O$ 0.1%, Methanol 2.5%를 첨가하여 PH4.5로 조절한 다음포자 현탁액(1x$10^8$ spore/$m\ell$) 2%를 접종하여 균체증식 초기에 35$^{\circ}C$, 20시간 배양하고 4시간 저온 처리한 다음 구연산 생성기에서 3$0^{\circ}C$로 48시간 배양했을 때 당에 대해 80.4%의 높은 수율의 구연산을 얻었다.