Optimization of Single Cell Protein Production by Aspergillus niger Using Taguchi Approach

: World population has been continuously raised and therefore due to this fact new source of foods, particularly proteins, are in demand. In recent years, single cell protein has been considered as an accepted substitute for animal and plant proteins. In this study, single cell protein production was studied in a batch submerged culture using Aspergillus niger PTCC5012. Experimental design was performed by Qualitek-4 software using Taguchi as a fractional factorial statistical method.  Glucose, magnesium sulfate and potassium hydrogen phosphate concentrations as well as the pH were considered to be the four key parameters, each one at four different levels. Optimal conditions were created to achieve the maximum single cell protein of Aspergillus niger PTCC5012 in respect of the optimum concentrations of the mentioned parameters. An acceptable consistency of 94% was observed between optimum single cell protein proposed by the software and the experimentally measured one. Glucose concentration was evaluated as the most effective parameter on single cell protein production yield with 40.95% contribution. The concentration of potassium hydrogen phosphate was introduced as the less effective factor on single cell protein production with 13.99% contribution