Microbial Processing to Increase the Nutritional Value of Sorghum Mill Feed (Milo Hominy)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to utilize fungal bioprocessing to increase the nutritional value of sorghum hominy. Eight fungal strains were screened for their ability to degrade cell wall polysaccharides and concurrently produce microbial biomass protein (MBP). Trichoderma reesei, Rhizopus oligosporus, Neurospora crassa, and Aureobasidium pullulans were the best performing fungi in flask trials, which increased the protein content of sorghum hominy by 53.6%, 48.0%, 47.8%, and 41.47%, respectively, compared to the raw feedstock. A. pullulans and T. reesei were selected for 5 L bioreactor trials, where biomass yields of 73.6 and 65.1 g L −1 were obtained for A. pullulans and T. reesei, respectively. This study showed a potential application of microbial processing to upgrade the sorghum hominy into a high-protein feed ingredient for animal diets.