Pigment Production From Bacteria Isolated From Whey

Abstract

Environmental pollution and population growth necessitate more efficient production processes. Organic whey, which is a low-cost substrate for the food industry, constitutes a promising raw material with its low cost and chemical content for biotechnological processes. This study investigated the pigment production capabilities of bacteria isolated from whey, an industrial waste. Among the isolated bacteria, 4 were determined to be effective pigment producing bacteria. The pigment was extracted from 4 isolates. Pigment characterization was performed by UV spectrophotometer (OD470-OD580) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). As a result of the spectrum scanning, it was determined that all pigments gave the maximum absorbance value in the range of 500 nm to 505 nm. In FTIR analysis, all extracted pigments showed characteristic absorption bands of carotenoids between 400 nm and 520 nm. The FTIR peaks obtained from 1469 cm-1 and 1726 cm-1 regions are known as the fingerprint regions of microbial pigments for biorecolorants. When the results obtained in our study are compared with the literature data, the absorbance values obtained show that the pigment produced is carotenoid and its derivative.