Utilization of industrial and agricultural by-products for fungal amylase production.

Attempts were made for using industrial and agricultural by-products and wastes as carbon and nitrogen sources in fermentation medium for alpha-amylase production by Aspergillus niger NRRL-337. The original carbon source of the basal medium was replaced by one of the following materials: rice bran, wheat bran, corn bran, corn starch, cane molasses, and glucose syrup. Rice bran proved to be the best carbon source that secured the highest amylase activity. The nitrogen source of the basal medium was then replaced by different cheap materials, viz: dried yeast, corn steep liquor, gluten-30, gluten-50, and corn steep precipitate. Corn steep precipitate proved to be superior in amylase production. In consideration of these results an economical medium that secured high activity, containing the following ingredients, was suggested: 2.5% corn steep precipitate, 7.2% rice bran, 0.1% MgSO4, 0.1% KH2PO4, and 0.1% CaCO3. From this medium fungal amylase was precipitated and purified. The pure enzyme gave the highest activity at 40 degrees C and pH 4.3.