Biotechnological Potential of Alpha Amylase Production by Bacillus subtilis Using Cassava Peel Powder as a Substrate

Cassava peels, a major agricultural waste associated with the processing of cassava tubers into value-added products such as industrial starch and derived food items including garri and foofoo, were used as raw material for the production of α-amylase. The major step of the process is solid state fermentation of the mash prepared from this by-product by Bacillus subtilis that was isolated from a solid municipal waste disposal site. The effects of varying durations of incubation, temperature, medium pH and substrate levels were characterized. The maximum α–amylase activity of 7.12 lU/ml/min was recorded in a medium containing 50g of dried cassava peel powder as substrate after 24 hours at a pH of 7.0 and temperature of 35°C. The crude α–amylase produced was confirmed by using it to hydrolyze industrial starch which yielded maltose, a demonstration that the enzyme produced can be used in different biotechnological processes. It can be concluded that the use of cassava peels as substrates for the production of α–amylase does not only add value and decrease the amount of this agro-industrial waste from the environment but also reduces the general cost of amylase production that is desired for various biotechnologically-based industrial applications.