OPTIMIZATION STUDIES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALPHA-AMYLASE USING CHEESE WHEY MEDIUM

Cheese whey has been utilized as a carbon source for alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1; 1,4-alpha-D-glucan glucanohydrolase) production by Bacillus sp. The medium and culture conditions have been optimized for maximum enzyme yield. The optimum concentrations of the medium constituents were found to be 2% corn starch, 3% corn gluten, 0.1% MgSO4 . 7H2O, 0.1% KH2PO4, 0.2% NaCl, and 0.02% CaCl2 in cheese whey. About 2,690 DUN ml-1 of alpha-amylase enzyme was obtained in a shake flask in 72 h from optimized cheese whey medium at pH 7.0. In a stirred-tank bioreactor, up to 4,360 DUN ml-1 of alpha-amylase was produced in 30 h from the optimized medium at a high aeration rate of 2.2 vvm.