| Abstract: | Cassava waste peels may constitute up to 55% of the original tuber. These waste peels were found to contain 41.8% carbohydrate, 1.1% protein, 12.5% ether extract and 4.9%, 4.9% total ash. and 20.8% crude fibre. Studies were conducted to formulate a fermentation medium to convert the waste peels to reducing sugars and to enrich the peels with microbial protein. Amylase producing microorganisms were isolated from rotten cassava tuber discs buried in the soil at different locations. The microorganisms isolated were Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, and a Pseudomonas sp. and A. niger; the level of reducing sugar was 20.5 mg/ml. The lowest was by B. subtilis an isolate from fermenting locust bean. Generally the levels of saccharification were higher when the waste media were supplemented with different nitrogen sourses. The crude protein yield in the cassava peel waste media by different microorganisms varied from 5.6% to 17.5%. The highest protein yield was in the waste medium fermented by A. fumigatus followed by A. niger, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas sp. in decreasing order. |
