Mycelial Pellet Formation in Fungal Lipid Production by Cunninghamella bainieri 2A1 Using Repeated Batch Culture

Abstract

Repeated batch culture of Cunninghamella bainieri 2A1 was performed to investigate mycelial pellet formation in fungal lipid production process. Experimental studies were performed based on the size and structural morphology of pellets formed with consideration of harvesting times and harvested volumes of repeated batch culture. Electron microscope images showed that fungal cells formed mycelial pellets with varied size from 575 µm × 586 µm in 60 % harvesting volume with a hairy loose morphology to 1.01 mm × 1.18 mm in 90 % harvesting volume with a tightly packed dense morphology.