INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT OKARA TREATMENTS ON XANTHAN GUM PRODUCTION

Abstract

Recently, exopolysaccharides (EPS) have drawn a lot of attention because of their many applications. The Gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas species uses aerobic fermentation to produce xanthan gum, an EPS that has received lot of attention. This is due to its vast range of applications including tissue engineering, pharmaceuticals, oil recovery, as well as in the food industry. The gum possesses a vast a great rheological property that makes it valuable. However, the main carbon source for its production, glucose has been a major concern due to its high cost1. Numerous studies have shown that several factors, including the kind of carbon source have a significant impact on the process yield. To maximize the yield of xanthan, researchers are concentrating on cost-cutting techniques like strain development and the discovery of alternative, inexpensive substrates2. Okara is high nutritional content may facilitate the synthesis of exopolysaccharides obtained as residue during soymilk production.