Cost‐effective process for the production of Monascus pigments using potato pomace as carbon source by fed‐batch submerged fermentation

Potato pomace, generated from starch‐processing industry, was applied as a cost‐effective resource for producing Monascus pigments via submerged fermentation. First, the pigment‐production capacity of potato pomace and its hydrolysate was compared. The results indicated that potato pomace was superior to its hydrolysate when used for producing Monascus pigments. The red and yellow pigments produced in potato pomace medium reached 27.8 and 19.7 OD units/ml in 7 days, with the yield of total pigments at 1,187.5 OD units/g, respectively, increased by 127.9%, 19.4%, and 46.3% compared with the data obtained from hydrolysate. Meanwhile, the citrinin produced in potato pomace medium decreased by 22.6%. Afterward, potato pomace, without hydrolysis, was used as carbon source to obtain the optimal pigment production conditions. In the batch fermentation process, it was found that high amount of pomace inhibited the growth rate of mycelia and the productivity of pigments, and the fed‐batch fermentation process could enhance the yield and productivity of pigments. With the same final amount of pomace (80 g/L), the maximal levels of total pigments and productivity obtained from fed‐batch process reached 118.8 OD units/ml and 13.2 OD units/(ml·day), which presented an increase of 35.2% and 67.1% compared with the not fed‐batch group, respectively. The results demonstrated that potato pomace was a cost‐effective substrate for producing Monascus pigments in terms of pigment production capacity and productivity when fed‐batch submerged fermentation was applied.