Pectinase Production from Orange Peel Extract and Dried Orange Peel Solid as Substrates Using Aspergillus niger

Orange peel solids (OPS) and orange peel extract (OPE) were used as the substrates for pectinase production from Aspergillus niger. Among the various nitrogen sources (organic and inorganic) tested highest yield of pectinase production was observed for peptone as the nitrogen source in submerged fermentation using OPE and soybean meal as the nitrogen source in solid state fermentation (SSF). The pectinase activity was found to be higher in the orange peel extract when peptone was used as the nitrogen source. A maximum exopectinase activity of 6800 IU/g was obtained in the submerged fermentation using orange peel extract. The pectinase yield from the inorganic nitrogen sources from both SSF and submerged fermentation was low. Among the inorganic nitrogen sources ammonium nitrate showed high pectinase yield.