Production of high cellulase yields from polypore fungi in solid-state fermentation using green tea waste

AbstractPolypores are diverse macrofungi that have been extensively studied for their enzyme production capabilities. Presently, these enzymes are being used for many industrial purposes. However, the high-cost associated with their production is the main barrier to their broader application. This work aimed to study the optimal medium and conditions by using solid state fermentation. Seven polypore strains were used for cellulase activity screening. The fermentation experiments were carried out in 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks with green tea waste as a substrate. Notably, Microporus sp. KA038 showed the best level of activity of 81.8 IU/gds. Various parameters such as temperature on growth, moisture content, nitrogen source, initial pH value, inoculum size and incubation time were considered to determine the optimal conditions for cellulase production. The optimal medium consisted of green tea leaves as a carbon source, beef extract as an organic nitrogen source, and NH4H2PO4 as an inorganic nitrogen source, while pH 7.0 and an incubation temperature of 30°C for 4 days resulted in a high enzyme yield with Microporus sp. KA038.