Cellulase production by Trichoderma reesei using whole wheat flour as a carbon source

Soluble inducers derived from whole wheat flour were investigated for cellulase production by T. reesei. Acid-hydrolyzed wheat flour prepared using 0.3–0.6 M HCI proved to be very effective. The wheat flour hydrolyzates (13.5 g l -1) yielded 2.52 IU ml -1 against filter paper and 0.28 IU ml -1 cellobiase activity. When 1.0 g wheat flour was employed for cellulase production, the cellulase so produced after 6 days of fermentation, with supplementation of 1% (0.01 ml g -1 paper) β-glucosidase, saccharified 13 g shredded waste office paper in 9.34% suspension, resulting in 9.6 g fermentable sugars, 71% of which was glucose. The feasibility of elimination of additional nutrients and elimination of pH control for cellulase production by T. reesei using wheat hydrolyzates as substrate was examined. Comparative studies using enzymatically liquefied wheat, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, and pure starch are also reported.