Enzyme and Microbial Technology, Vol.31, No.7, 1000-1005, 2002
Release of ferulic acid from agroindustrial by-products by the cell wall-degrading enzymes produced by Aspergillus niger I-1472
Aspergillus niger I-1472 was grown on sugar beet pulp to produce cell wall polysaccharide-degrading enzymes, including feruloyl esterases. Compared to enzymatic activities measured in commercially available mixtures previously used for the release of ferulic acid, the A. niger enzymes were more various. These enzymes were tested to release ferulic acid from sugar beet pulp, maize bran, or autoclaved maize bran. They were as efficient as the commercial mixture to release ferulic acid from sugar beet pulp. On the other hand, they were much more efficient to release ferulic acid from maize bran after autoclaving pretreatment, as 95% of ferulic acid ester were solubilized. Thus, A. niger enzymes exhibited a high interest in the release of ferulic acid from various agro-industrial by-products.
Keywords:aspergillus niger;sugar beet pulp;maize bran;polysaccharide-degrading enzymes;ferulic acid esterases