Pullulan production from sugar beat molasses

Abstract

Sugar beet molasses was used as the substrate for the production of pullulan with Aureobasidum pullulans ATCC 42023. In addition biomass, residual sugar and final pH of the culture medium were investigated. In comparing sugar beet molasses and glucose media, it was found that production of pullulan from glucose medium highly exceeded that produced from molasses medium. Treatment of molasses with sodium sulphate slightly enhanced pullulan production. Highest pullulan production from molasses occurred at 5% sugar concentration. A five-day incubation period was optimum for the highest production of pullulan. Ammonium sulphate as nitrogen source gave the highest production of pullulan particularly when it was used at the concentration of 0.04 % as nitrogen. During the investigation of the effect of initial pH of the molasses medium on the production of pullulan, it was found that at the initial pH 3.5 there was a jump in pullulan production reaching 20.9 g/ 1, which was nearly equal to that obtained in glucose medium (22.26 g/I).