Abstract:
Palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) fruit pulp is known to have good nutritive and health
beneficial properties. However the consumer acceptance of the pulp is low due to its bitter taste
caused by a compound named as flabelliferin. Naringinase enzyme has the ability to hydrolyze this
flabelliferin into non bitter aglycone and sugars. This study was aimed to isolate naringinase
producing bacterial strain from Palmyrah and characterize the best naringinase producer. The
naringinase producing bacterial strains were isolated from decaying palmyrah fruit pulp and the soil
where pulp was allowed to decay, using the selective medium named Naringin Agar Medium. The
crude naringinase enzyme activity was determined through the production of glucose by hydrolysis
of flabelliferin using naringinase enzyme. Three bacterial strains designated as PB1, PB2 and PB3
were identified as naringinase producers through primary screening by qualitative naringinase
assay. These bacteria were subjected to naringin liquid fermentation medium (LFM) for 48 h at
37ºC at 100 rpm and solid state fermentation system (SSF) using paddy husk as a support for 48 h at
30±2ºC and the crude naringinase enzyme activity was assayed at pH 5 and 60 ºC for 10 min in all
the cases.The bacterial strain (PB1) was selected as the best producer based on the enzyme activities
obtained in the LFM (0.936U/ml after 30 h of incubation) and SSF (239.55U/gram of dry substrate
after 48 h of incubation at 30±2ºC).Based on the cellular and colony morphology, microscopic and
biochemical tests done, the selected strain PB1was identified as Staphylococcus sp. Large scale
liquid and solid state fermentation studies and molecular analysis should be done to confirm these
findings.
