Use of banana peel as a support for the isolation and selection of fungus producer of lipases

• Grant number: 10/18359-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2011
• End date: December 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Crispin Humberto Garcia Cruz
• Grantee: Érico Constantino da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Lipases can modify the properties of lipids either by changing the location of fatty acids chain in the molecule or by replacing one or more acids with new ones. Low value lipids can be modified in order to achieve higher market values, such as what happens to polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from lipids of animals and plants. These free fatty acids and their mono- and diglycerides are used to produce a variety of pharmaceuticals, including anticholesterolemic, antiinflammatory and thrombolytics. In addition, lipases have been used in the development of flavors, bakery products, and for removal of fats from meat products and from fish. Lipases can be obtained from animal, plant or microbial cells - the latter one appears to be the most versatile source of production of enzymes. Lipase-producing microorganisms can be isolated from soil or lipid residues and undergo a long process of selection to obtain a lineage with potential for synthesis of the enzyme. The production of microbial lipases can be done by submerged or semi-solid processes, so that, in the latter one, agro-industrial residues are used as support. This is a factor of economic interest for countries like Brazil, which has an abundance of crops that can be used as raw material at low cost. This research aims at isolating and selecting microorganisms that produce lipolytic enzymes. In order to produce the lipase, a culture medium composed of banana peel with 50% humidity and 120 hours of incubation at 35 °C will be used. The substrates that will be tested are olive oil, soybean oil and coconut milk.