Solid state fermentation for production of α-amylase by a thermotolerant Bacillus subtilis from hot-spring water

The production of extracellular a-amylase by thermotolerant Bacillus subtilis was studied in solid state fermentation (SSF). The effect of wheat bran (WB) and rice husk (RH) was examined. The appropriate incubation period, moisture level, particle size and inoculum concentration was determined. Maximum yields of 159,520 and 21,760 U g(-1) were achieved by employing WB and RH as substrates in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7 with 30% initial moisture content at 24 and 48 h. Particle size and inoculum concentration were found to be 1000 pm, 20% and 500 mum, 15% for WB and RH, respectively. Enzyme yield was 7.3-fold higher with WB medium compared with RH. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.