Lipase Production by Penicillium Oxalicum and Aspergillus flavus

Abstract

These fungi produce a maximum quantity of a water-soluble enzyme capable of hydrolyzing emulsified olive oil when grown on a bran-wood flour medium containing 2.5-5.0% olive oil, or better yet on a medium containing 7.5 parts of soy bean and 12.5 parts of bran. On the latter medium as much as 50% of the oil may be hydrolyzed in 20 hrs. Lipase production is greatest after 3-4 days'' incubation at 28[degree] C in a water bath. The P. oxalicum enzyme precipitated by alcohol contained 81/2 times more lipase per unit of protease than did a commercial high lipase trypsin. The activity of the dry lipase was low when obtained from large cultures (1-9 kgm); the enzyme prepared from 40-gm. lots of medium showed good activity.