Newly Isolated Penicillium sp. for Cellulolytic Enzyme Production in Soybean Hull Residue

Abstract (1) Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the production and partial characterization of xylanase and avicelase by a newly isolated Penicillium sp. in solid-state fermentation, using soybean hulls as substrate. (2) Methods: Temperature, time, number of spores, and substrate moisture on xylanase and avicelase bioproduction were evaluated, maximizing activity with 30°C, 1x106 spores/g substrate, 14 and 7 days of fermentation with 70 and 76% substrate moisture contents, for xylanase and avicelase, respectively. (3) Results: Different solvents, temperatures, and agitation in the enzymatic extraction were evaluated, obtaining higher activities, 430.77 and 26.77 U/g for xylanase and avicelase using 30 min extraction and 0.05 M citrate buffer solution (pH 4.5 ), respectively at 60°C and 175 rpm and 50°C and 125 rpm. The optimum pH and temperature for enzymatic activity determination were 5.3 and 50°C. Enzyme extract stability was evaluated, obtaining higher stability with pH between 4.5 and 5.5, higher temperature of up to 40°C. The kinetic thermal denaturation (Kd), half-life time, D-value, and Z-value were similar for both enzymes. The xylanase Ed value (89.1 kJ/mol) was slightly lower than the avicelase one (96.7 kJ/mol), indicating higher thermostability for avicelase. (4) Conclusion: In this way, the production of cellulases using alternative substrates is a way to reduce production costs, since they represent about 10% of the world demand of enzymes, with application in animal feed processing, food production and breweries, textile processing, detergent and laundry production, pulp manufacturing and the production of biofuels.

Elaboração e avaliação da qualidade de macarrão isento de glúten / Elaboration and quality evaluation of the gluten-free pasta

Com a intenção de minimizar a carência de produtos isentos de glúten e tendo em vista o crescente aumento de celíacos, a elaboração de produtos diferenciais a base de farinha de arroz e milho torna-se uma alternativa de consumo e comercialização. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar os efeitos da adição de farinha de arroz e milho, e emulsificante nas características de qualidade (teste de cozimento, textura instrumental - firmeza e aceitabilidade) e físico-químicas (proteínas, lipídios, carboidratos, minerais e fibra alimentar) de formulações de macarrão, mediante o emprego de metodologia de planejamento de experimentos, fixando a concentração de ovos in natura (12%, m/m) e água (20%, v/m). A formulação com 40g de farinha de milho, 60g de farinha de arroz e 0,4g de SSL por 100g de farinha mista foi a que apresentou melhor resistência ao cozimento, menores perdas de sólidos na água de cocção (2,12% m/m), textura (30,40g seg-1) e aceitabilidade superior a 85 %. Além disso, o uso de farinha de arroz, associado à farinha de milho, proporciona fonte de minerais (152mg de K, 1,55mg de Fe, 46mg de Mg, 20mg de Ca por 100g), proteínas (~7%), carboidratos (52%) e fibras (~1%), importante suprimento nutricional para celíacos, por estes apresentarem perdas significativas destes nutrientes, devido à diarreia e à absorção restrita, característica da doença.

In order to minimize the deficiency of products with gluten-free and the growing number of celiac the elaboration of differential products using rice and maize flour becomes an alternative of consuming and marketing. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of rice and maize flour, and emulsifier addition in the quality characteristics (cooking test, instrumental texture - firmness and acceptability) and physic-chemical (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals and dietary fiber) of pasta formulation, by the use of experimental design methodology, fixing the concentration of in nature eggs (12%, w/w) and water (20%, v/w). The formulation with 40g of maize flour, 60g of rice flour and 0.4g per 100g of SSL mixed flour showed the better cooking resistance, reduced loss of solids in the cooking water (2.12% m/m), texture (30.40g sec-1) and acceptability higher than 85%. Furthermore, the use of rice flour associated with maize flour provide a source of minerals (152mg of K, 1.55mg of Fe, 46mg of Mg, 20mg Ca per 100g), proteins (~ 7%), carbohydrates (52%), fibers (~1%) important nutritional supplement for celiac, because they present significant losses of these nutrients due to restricted absortion and diarrhea, characteristic of the disease.

Experimental Design Applied to the Optimization and Partial Characterization of Pectin Liase from a Newly Isolated Penicillium brasilianum

Penicillium brasilianum was previously isolated from tea and identified by molecular biology technique. A Plackett-Burman design, followed by a complete second order design was used for the screening of most important factors and to maximize the pectin liase (PMGL) activity, respectively. The maximum PMGL activity by P. brasilianum achieved was 9.0 U/mL after 48 h of cultivation in a medium containing pectin (33.0 g/L), yeast extract (30.0 g/L) and potassium phosphate (2.0 g/L) at 30ºC, with a stirring rate of 180 rpm, initial pH 5.5 and 5x106 spores/mL inoculum size. The kinetic evaluation in terms of substrate consumption demonstrated that the maximum production of PMGL was at 72 h, and 40% of the total organic carbon, 25% of the nitrogen, 88% of the magnesium, 13% of the potassium and 66% of the iron were consumed. The pH remained almost stable during the whole period of production (5.33 to 4.9). The partial characterization of the crude PMGL enzyme extract showed optimal pH and temperature of 5.5 and 37°C, respectively.