Xylitol Production and Media Optimization using Candida tropicalis ATCC 13803 Strain.

Abstract

Xylitol is a high value product because of its low calorie content and high sweetening power. Due to its characteristic features and health benefits it is highly demanded in food and pharmaceutical industries. Conventional methods for production of xylitol requires catalytic hydrogenation of pure xylose at very high temperature and pressure. This method have various drawbacks like high operating cost, high energy intensive and wide ranging separation and purification steps. Thus, Biotechnological method for xylitol production is gaining more attention due to abundant biomass availability and low cost of production. Present study focuses on media optimization for xylitol production by Candida tropicalis ATCC 13803. In the first step, OFAT analysis of nitrogen sources and initial xylose concentration has been done. In the second step, significant media components have been identified using Plackett Burman Design. OFAT analysis of xylose shows that xylitol production increases with increase in initial xylose concentration, however, at higher xylose concentration substrate inhibition takes place. Plackett-Burman analysis of xylose, yeast extract, peptone, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, CaCl2, KH2PO4, Na2HPO4 shows that initial xylose and peptone are the most significant factor.