2. Fermentation conditions
The biochemical mechanism by which A. niger
accumulates citric acid has attracted much interest.
Fermentation conditions were established during the
1930s and 1940s when the effects of various medium
components were evaluated. The simple surface culture
methods used in the first commercial production plants
were labor intensive by modern standards, and although
submerged culture techniques had been developed
before 1940, some old-style surface culture plants
apparently still thrive (Mattey, 1992).
Since 1930s, various explanations have been proposed
for the accumulation of citric acid. Citric acid only
accumulates when several nutrients are present either in
high concentrations (i.e. sugar, acidity, dissolved oxygen)
or at suboptimal levels (i.e. trace metals, nitrogen,
phosphate). Many biochemical events likely jointly
contribute to the observed overproduction. In view of
the nature of production biochemistry, influence of
individual factors cannot always be assessed without
influencing the other factors. Moreover, some of the
literature studies have used low- or moderately overproducing
strains, or used conditions that were not
optimal for accumulation of citric acid. This has made a
comparison of data difficult and adversely affected the
prospects for creating a better overall picture of the
commercial citric acid fermentation. Although much
basic biochemical research has been carried out with
A. niger, the fundamental understanding of factors leading
to citric acid accumulation remains poor.