Production of erythritol by newly isolated osmophilic Trichosporon sp.

One strain of osmophilic Trichosporon sp. which produces highest amounts of erythritol, was isolated from honeycomb. This strain produced highest amounts of erythritol with total glucose utilization in fermentation medium at 35 °C and a temperature of 30 °C results in an insufficient glucose utilization and lower production of erythritol, but higher growth of cell mass as compared with fermentation temperature of 35 °C. An efficient fermentation medium for production of erythritol by the strain was mixture of 30% glucose and 4% corn steep liquor, and using this culture medium, the strain produced 141 g/l of erythritol at 35 °C after 3 days of fermentation in 5001-fermentor. It was also found that yield of microbial cells (Yx/S) to yield of erythritol (Ye/S) was 1:1 during phase of yeast growth and the proportion was changes to 1:10 during stationary phase.