Utilization of prawn waste for chitinase production by the marine fungus Beauveria bassiana by solid state fermentation

Prawn waste, a chitinous solid waste of the shellfish processing industry, was used as a substrate for chitinase production by the marine fungus Beauv eria bassiana BTMF SIG, in a solid state fermentation (SSF) culture. The pr ocess parameters influencing SSF were optimized. A maximum chitinase yield of 248.0 units/g initial dry substrate (U/gIDS) was obtained in a medium co ntaining a 5:1 ratio (w/v) of prawn waste/sea water, 1% (w/w) NaCl, 2.5% (w /w) KH2PO4, 425-600 mu m substrate particle size at 27 degrees C, initial p H 9.5, and after 5 days of incubation. The presence of yeast extract reduce d chitinase yield. The results indicate scope for the utilization of shellf ish processing (prawn) waste for the industrial production of chitinase by using solid state fermentation.