Fumaric acid production from sugarcane trash hydrolysate using Rhizopus oryzae NIIST 1

Production of organic acids through fermentation of biomass feedstock is a potent strategy for co-product generation and improving economics in lignocellulose biorefinery. Sugar cane trash (SCT), a surplus available agro-residue, was exploited for the production of fumaric acid - a dicarboxylic acid with applications in the synthesis of polyester resins, as mordant and as a food additive. The isolate NIIST 1 which showed the production of fumaric acid was identified as Rhizopus oryzae. Media engineering was carried out and a maximum production of fumaric acid in SCT hydrolysate incorporated media was 5.2 g/L. Response surface analyses of the interaction of parameters indicated the importance of maintaining a high C/N ratio. Results indicate the scope for developing the Rhizopus oryzae strain NIIST 1 as a potent organism for fumaric acid production, since only a few microorganisms have the ability to produce industrially relevant compounds using lignocellulose biomass hydroly sates.