Use of waste chicken feathers as peptone for production of carotenoids in submerged culture of Rhodotorula glutinis MT-5

Peptones are one of the most expensive constituents of fermentation media. The present study was performed to prepare the peptone from waste chicken feathers through acid hydrolysis and to investigate the usability of this peptone as substrate for biomass and carotenoid production by Rhodotorula glutinis MT-5. Chicken feather peptone (CFP) was found to be rich in ash (42.1 g/100 g), protein (55.8 g/100 g) and mineral contents. The ability of CFP to support biomass and carotenoid production in the yeast was comparable to those of two commercial peptones (Tryptone peptone = TP and Fish peptone = FP). The optimum concentration of CFP was found to be 8 g/L for both biomass and carotenoid production. Adding 8 g/L CFP to the medium increased carotenoid and biomass production about 53 and 36% compared to control, respectively. At the end of the fermentation, the maximum biomass (14.2 g/L) and carotenoid (92 mg/L) concentrations were achieved with CFP. Moreover, the maximum carotenoid yield (6.47 mg/g) was reached in CFP medium. This study showed for the first time that waste chicken feathers could be effectively used as a novel carotenoid production substrate for R. glutinis.