PRODUCTION OF ALPHA-AMYLASE IN A CORN STEEP LIQUOR SOYA BEAN MEAL MEDIUM BY A STRAIN OF BACILLUS-STEAROTHERMOPHILUS

Corn grains (Zea mays, yellow variety) were steeped in water for 10 da ys and parameters such as pH, protein, amino acids, lipid, soluble sta rch and reducing sugar content were measured at 2 day intervals in the steep liquor. The pH decreased from 7.0 to 5.4 during the steeping pe riod. The protein content ranged between 1.25 and 11.25 mg/ml; lipid c ontent ranged between 0.3 and 3.2 mg/ml. The soluble starch concentrat ion increased from 212 to 530 mg/ml, and the reducing sugar concentrat ion reduced from 2.54 to 1.13 mg/ml. A fermentation medium was compoun ded from 2-day-old liquor to cultivate an amylolytic strain of Bacillu s stearothermophilus. Peak production of amylase occurred at 240 h whi le the highest cell density occurred at 144 h. Various concentrations of soluble starch (0.5-5%, w/v) and soya bean meal (0.1-0.5%, v/v) wer e used in cultivating the organism. The highest amylase activity was r ecorded with 2% (w/v) starch, while 0.5% (v/v) of soya bean meal suppo rted the greatest growth. The medium could be exploited for industrial amylase production.