The main goal of this study was to examine the efficiency of a newly isolated fungus from quince, Aspergillus tubingensis FAT43, to produce the pectinolytic complex using agricultural and industrial waste as the substrate for solid state fermentation. Sugar beet pulp was the most effective substrate inducer of pectinolytic complex synthesis out of all the waste residues examined. For endo-pectinolytic and total pectinolytic activity, respectively, statistical optimization using Placked-Burman Design and Optimal (Custom) Design increased production by 2.22 and 2.15-fold, respectively. Liquification, clarification, and an increase in the amount of reducing sugar in fruit juices (apple, banana, apricot, orange, and quince) processed with pectinolytic complex were identified. Enzymatic pre-treatment considerably increases yield (14%-22%) and clarification (90%). After enzymatic treatment, the best liquefaction was observed in orange juice, whereas the best clarification was obtained in apricot juice. Additionally, the pectinolytic treatment of apricot juice resulted in the highest increase in reducing sugar concentration (11%) compared to all other enzymatically treated juices. Optimizing the production of a highly active pectinolytic complex and its efficient utilization in the processing of fruit juices, including the generation of an increasing amount of waste, are the significant outcomes of this research.
Keywords: Aspergillus tubingensis; juice; optimization; pectinase.
© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.