Solid-state fermentation for the production of Monascus pigments from jackfruit seed

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2007-05, Vol.98 (8), p.1554-1560
• Main Authors: Babitha, Sumathy, Soccol, Carlos R., Pandey, Ashok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artocarpus - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Fermentation - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Jackfruit seed powder; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Monascus - metabolism; Monascus purpureus; Pigments; Pigments, Biological - biosynthesis; Seeds - chemistry; Solid-state fermentation; Temperature
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2006.06.005

The aim of the present work was to investigate the feasibility of jackfruit seed powder as a substrate for the production of pigments by Monascus purpureus in solid-state fermentation (SSF). A pigment yield of 25 OD Units/g dry fermented substrate was achieved by employing jackfruit seed powder with optimized process parameters such as 50% initial moisture content, incubation temperature 30 °C, 9 × 10 4 spores/g dry substrate inoculum and an incubation period of seven days. The color of the pigments was stable over a wide range of pH, apparently due to the buffering nature of the substrate, which could be a significant point for its scope in food applications. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on pigment production using jackfruit seed powder in solid-state fermentation (SSF).