Evaluation of Some Agro-Industrial Wastes as Fermentation Medium for Pullulan Production by Aureobasidium pullulans AZ-6.

Agro-industrial wastes are rich sources of some nutrients. Thus, utilization of wastes seems to be ecologically sound and economically advantageous. The aim of this work was to investigate the potential usage of various agro-industrial wastes as fermentation medium for pullulan production by a domestic strain; Aureobasidium pullulans AZ-6. In this study, different agro-industrial wastes; various citrus peels, grape pomace, the hydrolysates of hazelnut and chestnut shells, sugarcane molasses residue, dried and fresh hazelnut husks and pumpkin peel, were used as fermentation media without adding any extra nutritional component for pullulan production by A. pullulans AZ-6. As a result, among the tested media, the maximum pullulan concentration was obtained as 33.59 gL-1 using the sugarcane molasses residue, and followed by the corresponding value of 30.02 gL-1 obtained in the dried hazelnut husk hydrolysate medium. Therefore, the usage of agro-industrial wastes as fermentation media is considered to make pullulan production cost effective. In addition, waste treatment from this aspect solves a relevant environmental problem. In this study, sugarcane molasses residue and dried hazelnut husk hydrolysate were used directly as fermentation media for pullulan production for the first time. Pullulan production from sugarcane molasses residue and dried hazelnut husk hydrolysate media might be a promising substrate for economical point of view.