Production of gluconic acid from sweet potato peels using naturally occurring fungi by submerged fermentation
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Date
2023
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Abstract
The oxidation of glucose produces gluconic acid, a significant organic acid. The aim of this study was to
produce gluconic acid from sweet potato peels by submerged fermentation. Isolation and identification of
fungi were done using standard microbiological methods. Proximate analysis of substrate and screening of
fungal isolates for gluconic acid production was done using standard procedures. Gluconic acid yields were
determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. A standard gluconic acid producer, Aspergillus
niger ATCC 10577, was used as control. A sum of six different fungal species were isolated and identified.
They included Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillum sp., Cladosporium sp., Rhizopus stolonifer and
Aspergillus terreus. Proximate composition of the sweet potato peels showed percentage carbohydrate of
20.81 ± 0.07, percentage moisture of 64.02 ± 0.27. Screening for gluconic acid production showed that
Aspergillus niger had the highest zone of clearance and identified as Aspergillus niger UFMGCB 14248. Our
data further showed that gluconic acid concentrations (mg/ml) was highest at substrate concentration 50 g/L,
carbon source starch, incubation day 7 and pH 6 for both Aspergillus niger UFMGCB 14248 and Aspergillus
niger ATCC 10577. The findings showed that the fungal isolates used in this study were good gluconic acid
producers.