Novel screening method for extracellular phytase-producing microorganisms

A bioassay was developed to screen extracellular phytase-producing microorganisms. Washed cells of Corynebacterium glutamicum, which cannot use sodium phytate as source of phosphate, were mixed with phytate-minimal agar as indicator strain. By this method, we could easily obtain phytase-producing strains from soil samples and 71 % of the isolates had phytase activities above 0.01 U/ml when they were grown in modified phytase screening medium. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998