MgSO4 7H20, 0.5; KCl, 0.5, CaCl2, 0.1; trace el ements (Lambrechts et al. 1992); pH 5.6]. Liquid medium and phytate were autoclaved separately at 121 C for 15 min and mixed before inoculation. Er- lenmeyer flasks (250 ml) containing 50 ml liquid medium were inoculated with the yeast inoculum (1%) and incubated in an incubator shaker at 30 OC for 24 h at 200 rpm. Any deviation from the standard culture conditions is indicated. The cultures were harvested by centrifuging at 8000 x g for 15 min at 4 oC. Both the cell free supernatants and pellet were collected, stored at 4 C and assayed for phytase in the extracellular and cell bound fractions. For the determination of yeastbiomass, the pelletas washed twice with distilled water and dried in pre-weighed tubes at 80 oC to constant weight.