Solid state bioconversion (SSB) of Ulva seaweed for protein enrichment was conducted over 7-days using Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium). One-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) optimization of process parameters revealed 70% for moisture content, 9% for inoculum size and 7% for minerals. Optimum substrate depth in 1 kg reactor was 12 mm and the protein increased from 88.51 mg/g to 107.89 mg/g. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed modifications in the polysaccharide resulting from SSB. Soluble and reducing sugars concentrations improved by 168.88% (from 33.74±0.51 mg/g to 90.72±1.38 mg/g) and 198.95% (from 0.13±0.05 mg/g to 0.40±0.01 mg/g), while total carbohydrate reduced to 107.15±1.21 mg/g from initial concentration of 109.39±1.33 mg/g.
This study aimed at investigating the presence of alkaloids and other chemical constituents in Datura stramonium (Saikaran, Jimson weed). All parts of the plant were dried, crushed and then underwent extraction by soxhlet and maceration methods. The solvents used in these methods were normal hexane (nonpolar) and ethanol (polar). Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and FTIR techniques were used to analyse the chemical components of jimson weed. The results showed the presence of hyoscine in all plant parts while atropine in the seeds only. The best separation was found to be when the solvent system was acetone: water: ammonia (90:07:03). Maceration method is the best and cost effective procedure for extraction.
Bioprotein is one of the useful products obtained from biotechnology invention. It is a promising replacement for the commercial fish feed supplement. In this study, the enrichment of the bioprotein content after solid state fermentation using palm kernel cake and seaweed by the white rot fungus: Phanerochaete chrysoporium and yeast: Candida utilis was carried out. The growth media components were selected from 11 types of media using Plackett-Burman design (hereinafter PBD) and were optimized by one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) method with bioprotein concentration (mg/g) as the response. From the screening result using PBD, three media components, namely K2HPO4, CuSO4.5H2O and MnSO4.H2O were selected for further optimization using OFAT method because of their positive contributions to the response. The final results showed that 5.0 g/L K2HPO4, 3.0 g/L CuSO4.5H2O and 0.1 g/L MnSO4.H2O were there to be the optimum media constituents with 9.0 g/L, MgSO4.7H2O, 0.1 g/L, CaCl2.H2O, 3.0 g/L FeSO4.7H2O and 3.0 g/L peptone as fixed compositions. At this optimum concentration, the protein increment of 11% was observed as compared to the results determined in the screening using PBD. The study revealed the benefits of using mixed cultures in improving the protein concentrations which can be used as nutritious fish feed.