Resumen
Lipases have been successfully produced under submerged cultivation conditions using olive oil as carbon source and complex culture media. The aims of this study were to evaluate lipase production by Candida viswanathii in submerged cultivation with different culture medium compositions, replace olive oil with plant oils from the Amazonian region, and assess the effect of nitrogen sources. By using olive oil as the sole carbon source, C. viswanathii produced high levels of biomass and lipase with minimal nutritional requirements (potassium, magnesium, and yeast extract). Plant oils from the Amazonian region supported cell growth, and pequi oil was the best inducer for lipase production (1.66 U mL-1). In comparison with inorganic sources, organic nitrogen sources induced the highest levels of lipase production. Typical microbial growth and lipase production were observed using pequi oil and peptone as a nitrogen source. The selected conditions resulted in good cell growth (YX/S = 1.25 g g-1) and lipase production (YP/S= 118.10 U g-1) after 60 hours of cultivation. In conclusion, the fermentation parameters indicated that Amazonian oils are promising for lipase production by C. viswanathii, and oils modified by this enzyme can be used in the food and cosmetic industries.