Global Journal of Biotechnology & Biochemistry 9 (1): 14-18, 2014 ISSN 2078-466X © IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.gjbb.2014.9.1.82314 Corresponding Author: Sadiq Azam, Center of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. 14 Production of Single Cell Protein from Orange Peels Using Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sadiq Azam, Zeeshan Khan, Bashir Ahmad, Ibrar Khan and Javid Ali 1 1 1 1 2 Center of Biotechnology and Microbiology, 1 University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories Complex, 2 Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Abstract: The bioconversion of fruit wastes into certain valuable products like single cell protein (SCP) has the ability to solve the worldwide food protein deficiency by obtaining an economical product for food and feed. However using wastes as substrate for the production of high nutritious product may also alleviate environmental pollutant up to some extent. In the light of this, an attempt was made in this study by selecting Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the production of SCP. The orange peels were used as sole carbon source for preparation of fermentation media on which the two selected fungal strains were grown. A. niger biomass was produced by solid state fermentation while the S. cerevisiae biomass was obtained by submerged fermentation. The present research work can helps in SCP production from inexpensive and cheap agro waste material. Key words: Aspergillus niger Saccharomyces cerevisiae Citrus aurantium Citrus sinensis Citrus paradisi Single cell protein INTRODUCTION bacteria, developed on substrates containing carbon. Proteins are mainly called as building blocks of all world at the commercial level [4]. living organisms. Proteins are necessary for the growth Pakistan is one of the major producers of different and development of living organisms and carry out a fruits and vegetables. The country is now an important number of different biochemical reactions in the form of global citrus producer and contributing fulfilling its enzyme. As compared to other macromolecules, our body demand by exporting it as well. Apart from that these requires abundant quantity of proteins and its destruction fruits are also utilized by different industries for producing is sometime lethal [1]. different industrial products and discard orange peels Though post-modern world is replaced from the [5].These discarded peels can cause pollution which can modern but still poverty is rampant in the world. The data affect the environment and also results various infectious collected by the Food and agriculture organization, UN diseases due to growth of microorganisms. These fruit (FAO), 25% of the world population has protein wastes contain carbohydrates that are natural substrates deficiency, which is a glaring example of protein gap. for microorganisms. So by utilizing these cheap available To rectify this deficiency, microbial proteins can be substrates for the production of SCP will help in reducing utilized to provide an alternative of protein to the pollutant up to certain extent [6, 7]. economically marginalized segments of the societies [2]. For the production of SCP a wide variety of For this purpose SCP was developed to produce microorganisms are used. Using algae for the SCP microbial proteins [3]. These are the dead, dry cells of production it was revealed that it has high protein content microorganisms like yeast, fungi, algae and as compared to other microorganisms and can be easily This technique has been in vogue in the contemporary