During initial screening trial it was observed that growth media supplemented with apple
pomace under SSF process of co-culture consortia presenting the preeminent
0.46 ± 0.42 mg/mL of citric acid. On partial optimization co-culture showed the maximum
citric acid yield (2.644 ± 0.99 mg/mL) in the presence of arginine as a nutritional ingredient
at 30 C in an apple pomace based medium at 50% moisture content with pH of 5 and
substrate concentration (25 g) after 48th of solid state fermentation. In conclusion, a
suitable addition of fermentative substrate to the SSF medium increased fungal growth,
sugar utilization and citric acid production when used in lower concentrations.