Raw Starch Degrading Amylase Production by Various Fungal Cultures Grown on Cassava Waste

The solid waste of sago industry using cassava was fermented by Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus and Rhizopus stolonifer in solid state fermentation. Cassava waste contained 52 per cent starch and 2.9 per cent protein by dry weight. The amylase activity was maintained at a high level and the highest amylase activity was observed on the 8(th) day in R. stolonifer mediated fermentation. R. stolonifer was more efficient than Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus in bioconverting cassava waste into fungal protein (90.24 mg/g) by saccharifying 70% starch and releasing 44.5% reducing sugars in eight days of solid state fermentation.