Utilisation of date wastes as substrate for the production of α-amylase

Submerged fermentation of Candida guilliermondii CGL-A10 was carried out for enhanced production of α-amylase using date wastes as a substrate. The process parameters influencing the production of α-amylase were optimized. Effects of process variables, namely incubation time, incubation temperature, initial pH, starch concentration, supplementary nitrogen source, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations on production of α-amylase have been studied, and accordingly optimum conditions have been determined. The result obtained show that the presence of starch induces strongly the production of α-amylase with a maximum at 5.0 g/L. Among the various nitrogen sources tested, yeast extract and urea at 5.0 g/L gave the maximum dry biomass and α-amylase estimated to 5.16 - 5.76 g/L and 2056.33 - 2304.19 μmol/L/min, respectively, 72 h after inoculation at 30°C, with an initial pH of 6.0 and potassium phosphate content of 6.0 g/L.