Summary
Several strains ofAspergillus terreus isolated from Egyptian soil were examined for their ability to produce itaconic acid in surface cultures. One strain was found which ferments glucose and sucrose to itaconic acid in fair yields. Studies on the influence of some cultural factors on the acid production by this strain showed that sucrose was superior to glucose as a carbon source and peptone at a concentration of 1 · 5% was the best nitrogen source. The influence of phosphate was critical, whereas fermentation was insensitive to the addition of MgSO4 · 7 H2O. Of the minor mineral elements, iron had an inhibitory effect on the acid production, whereas Zn was stimulatory at lower concentrations.
A temperature of 30°C and a pH of 3.5 were optimum for acid production; and HCl or H2SO4 gave the most favorable results of several acids tested for pH adjustment.
Using the local strain, a medium composed of 15% sucrose and 1.5% peptone and adjusted with HCl to pH 3.5 was most favorable for itaconicaid-production attaining 5.4 g/100 ml of medium. The value of peptone for fermentation was related to its mineral content, particularly calcium.
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Elnaghy, M.A., Megalla, S.E. Itaconic-acid production by a local strain ofAspergillus terreus . European J. Appl Microbiol. 1, 159–172 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00942212
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00942212