PRODUCTION OF LIPASE FREE OF CITRININ BY PENICILLIUM-CITRINUM

Lipase (Glycerol ester hydrolase E.C. 3.1.1.3) from a Brazilian strain of Penicillium citrinum free of the mycotoxin citrinin has been inves tigated. Citrinin production was inhibited by using culture medium con taining olive oil, soybean oil and corn oil as carbon sources. Potassi um concentration and pH play an important role in citrinin production. Potassium concentration lower than 30 mM and pH below 4.5 inhibited t he mycotoxin production. P. citrinum produced lipase free of extraneou s proteins and citrinin when cultured using, as nitrogen source, ammon ium sulphate (lipase activity of 7.88 U/mg) and yeast extract (lipase activity of 4.95 U/mg) with olive oil as carbon source. This data is r elevant to the larger scale production of lipases for food technology applications, from Penicillium citrinum.