Enhancement of Monascus pigment productivity via a simultaneous fermentation process and separation system using immobilized-cell fermentation

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2019-01, Vol.272, p.552-560
• Main Authors: Liu, Jun, Guo, Ting, Luo, Yunchuan, Chai, Xueying, Wu, Jingyan, Zhao, Wen, Jiao, Pengfei, Luo, Feijun, Lin, Qinlu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fermentation; Immobilized-cells; Monascus - metabolism; Monascus pigments; Pigments, Biological - metabolism; Response surface methodology; Simultaneous fermentation process and separation
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.10.072

[Display omitted] •M. purpuresus M183, generated by ARTP, with pigments production of 8460 U/g.•Response surface methodology applied significantly enhanced the MPs production.•Immobilization fermentation operated by utilization of 3% sodium alginate.•A simultaneous fermentation process and separation system was established for MPs. A mutant Monascus purpureus strain, M183, which produced monascus pigments (MPs) at 8460 U/g via solid-state batch-fermentation, was generated using the atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) mutation system. The optimal glucose concentration (80 g/L) in traditional fermentation media that yielded the highest MPs productivity was determined. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to maximize MPs production using liquid-state batch-fermentation. Under optimal conditions (0.58 g/L MgSO4·7H2O, 0.02 g/L ZnSO4·7H2O, 0.02 g/L FeSO4·7H2O and 4.85 g/L NH4NO3), 207.67 U/mL of MPs were produced with 98.12% validity based on the predicted value. Extracellular MPs production increased significantly to 35.52 U/mL, compared to 14.19 U/mL of the original strain, M. purpureus LQ-6. M. purpureus spores immobilized in sodium alginate were studied. A simultaneous fermentation and separation system was established for MPs using the novel absorption resin LX300C to enhance production efficiency of extracellular MPs.