African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (16), pp. 1494-1498, 17 August 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of supplementation of African breadfruit (Treculia africana) hulls with organic wastes on growth characteristics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Titus U. Nwabueze* and Ugochinyere  Otunwa

Department of Food Science and Technology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding authors E-mail: teeubueze@yahoo.co.uk.

Accepted 30 June, 2006

African breadfruit (Treculia africana) hulls were supplemented at different levels with other organic food processing wastes (orange, plantain, cassava and soybean). Optimum supplementation of 40:60 (breadfruit hulls to each waste) was obtained. Proximate and mineral composition of the unsupplemented and the supplemented waste were determined. A synthetic medium with chemical nutrients was prepared. The growth performance and other fermenting parameters were monitored on test strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) incubated at predetermined pH (3.8) and temperature (27°C) conditions. Supplementation increased crude protein (4.38 – 8.31 g/100 g) and mineral content (Na, K and P) in the waste, and sugar concentration (4.44 – 4.56 g/l), sugar conversion efficiency (28.39 – 31.56%), biomass yield (11.0 – 30.1 g/l) and single cell protein (28.98- 34.26 g/100g) in the hydrolysate. Supplementation of the African breadfruit hulls with organic wastes was an improvement over the unsupplemented breadfruit medium and could promote use in the animal feed industry.

Key words: African breadfruit hulls, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, supplementation, Treculia africana.