RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY FOR THE OPTIMIZATION OF INULINASE PRODUCTION BY K. MARXIANUS VAR. MARXIANUS

Plackett–Burman design was employed for screening 18 nutrient components for the production of inulinase using garlic as substrate by Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus in solid-state fermentation (SSF). From the experiments, 4 nutrients viz. Yeast extract, MnSO4.7H2O, K2HPO4 and Corn steep liquor were found to be most significant nutrient components. Hence these 4 components are selected. The selected components were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimum conditions are: Yeast extract –0.00289 g(gds)-1, MnSO4.7H2O –0.03343 g(gds)-1, K2HPO4 –0.00427 g(gds)-1 and Corn steep liquor -0.05752 g(gds)-1. Under these conditions the production of inulinase was found to be of 463 U(gds)-1.