CHANNELING OF GLUCOSE BY METHANOL FOR CITRIC-ACID PRODUCTION FROM ASPERGILLUS-NIGER

Citric acid produced by Aspergillus niger was increased from 4.6 g l(- 1) to 7.8 g l(-1) by supplementing basal medium with methanol (30 ml l (-1)). While stimulating citric acid production, methanol did not impr ove membrane permeability of the fungus for citric acid. Methanol inhi bited the germination of Aspergillus spores. An increase in glucose co ncentration from 50 g l(-1) to 100 g l(-1) in the presence of methanol (30 mi l(-I)) improved citric acid production (1.6-fold) while at hig her levels of glucose concentration methanol had no effect on citic ac id production.