OPTIMIZATION OF SOLID-STATE MEDIUM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CLAVULANIC ACID BY STREPTOMYCES-CLAVULIGERUS

The composition of solid medium employed in solid state fermentation t o obtain clavulanic acid in batch cultures of Streptomyces clavuligeru s by factorial design has been studied. Wheat rawa, soya flour, dipota ssium hydrogen phosphate and sunflower oil cake were found to be suita ble components of the medium for clavulanic acid production. A full fa ctorial design was employed to study the interaction of each component of the medium, which led to the subsequent generation of a set of reg ression equations. Analysis of variance and response surface methodolo gies led to an optimal composition. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.