Protein production from whey usingPenicillium cyclopium; growth parameters and cellular composition

Summary

The growth parameters ofPenicillium cyclopium have been evaluated in a continuous culture system for the production of fungal protein from whey. Dilution rates varied from 0.05 to 0.20 h⁻¹ under constant conditions of temperature (28°C) and pH (3.5). The saturation coefficients in the Monod equation were 0.74 g l⁻¹ for lactose and 0.14 mg l⁻¹ for oxygen, respectively. For a wide range of dilution rates, the yield was 0.68 g g⁻¹ biomass per lactose and the maintenance coefficient 0.005 g g⁻¹ h⁻¹ lactose per biomass, respectively. The maximum biomass productivity achieved was 2 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹ biomass at dilution rates of 0.16–0.17 h⁻¹ with a lactose concentration of 20 g l⁻¹ in the feed. The crude protein and total nucleic acid contents increased with a dilution rate, crude protein content varied from 43% to 54% and total nucleic acids from 6 to 9% in the range of dilution rates from 0.05 to 0.2 h⁻¹, while the Lowry protein content was almost constant at approximately 37.5% of dry matter.