Erythritol production by Yarrowia lipolytica from okara pretreated with the in-house enzyme pools of fungi

Okara (soybean residue) is an ideal erythritol feedstock due to its low price and high-nutrient content. Fungalfermentations were carried out in okara using in-house enzyme pools generated by Mucor flavus or Trichoderma reesei to make okara more accessibility in the subsequent erythritol production using Yarrowia lipolytica. Mucorfermented okara produced a high erythritol yield because of its special component and micromorphology. Five days is the optimal period for Mucor fermentation. Different fermentation modes were compared in terms of erythritol production and yield. The concentration of Mucor-fermented okara in erythritol fermentation medium was optimal at 30.0 g/L. Moreover, 40.0 g/L NaCl was added as the osmotic regulator. No extra ingredient was needed during this process. Results of 5-L fermentations showed that an erythritol titer of 14.7 g/L, with a yield of 0.49 g/g okara was obtained. These findings indicated that Mucor-fermented okara was an economically alternative feedstock for low-cost erythritol production.