In regard to the biosynthesis of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) by some bacteria, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of solid-state fermentation based on soybean pressed cake (SPC) to produce CLA and EPA by
Process conditions including humidity, inoculation level, and temperature parameters were optimized by adopting the response surface methodology (RSM) method (response surface method) and the design expert software. Accordingly, a homogeneous SPC paste substrate at 60, 70, and 80% humidity was prepared with different inoculation levels at 30, 37, and 44°C to assess the strain behavior. The introduced SPC consisted of 60% humidity, 2% inoculation level at 37°C, and 60% humidity, and 4% inoculation level at 30 and 44°C; it also included 6% inoculation level at 37°C, 70% humidity at 2% inoculation level, at 30 and 44°C, and 4% inoculation level at 37°C. Also, SPC with 80% humidity at 2% and 4% inoculation levels, and at 30 and 44°C was obtained. To confirm the accuracy of the conditions, an experiment was conducted according to the defined requirements.
The results were compared with the predicted data, which showed a significant difference. Under optimized conditions, with an inoculation level of 4% on the SPC medium with 70% humidity and at 37°C,
So, the potential benefits of using SPC as an inexpensive substrate for the commercial production of CLA and EPA should be noted.