Production of enzymes by macrofungi grown on plam oil residues

Processing of the palm oil fruit (Elaeis guineensis) generates valuable commodities like crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel. On the other hand, high amount of residues are generated in the form of mesocarp fiber (MF), palm kernel shell and palm oil mill effluent. MF is obtained after the extraction of CPO from fruits and due to its contents of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, protein and lipids it may be used as a nutrient source for microorganisms cultivation. In this work, potential of 58 macrofungi were screened for mycelial growth on Agar-MF medium and for production of lipases, xylanases, celulases and laccase. The isolates FPB11 and CC36 presented better mycelial growth on Agar-MF (1.56 and 0.91 cm/day, respectively). Then, these two were selected to further enzyme production on five different substrates: MF, wheat bran (WB), MF:WB (1:1), CPO-decanter cake and olive oil. Both macrofungi didn’t grow on Olive-Oil. Lipase activity (0.1 U/mL) was only found in crude extract from FPB11 cultivated on WB. Furthermore, endoglucanase and xylanase activities (approximately 1.5 U/mL) were observed in extracts from both FPB11 and CC36 cultivated on WB. The CC36 when grown on MF:WB showed endoglucanase and xylanase activities  around 1,1 U/mL. Protease activity was detected in all extracts, except when fungi were grown on CPO-decanter cake. The laccase activity was not found in any extract. The MF:WB is a nutrient source alternative to cultivation of CC36 and production of endoglucanase and xylanase with lower levels of proteases, when compared with only WB condition nutritional source.