Santiago J. C., David E. S. and Valentino M. J. G
The present study focused on the proximate composition profiling of the mycoprotein enriched rice straw by endophytic fungi which include the moisture, crude fat, crude ash, crude fiber, total carbohydrates and total energy value of the fermented rice straw. Additionally, cytotoxicity of the fermented rice straw was also undertaken. Fusarium sp.1 – treated rice straw had the highest moisture content with 8.09%, whereas, the highest value of 20.53% for % ash was recorded in Aspergillus flavus – treated rice straw. For the crude fiber content, Fusarium sp.2 – treated rice straw increased the crude fiber content of the rice straw from 27.84% to 32.63%. Meanwhile, crude fat content (2.21% to 0.58% by Penicillium citrinum, total carbohydrates (40.91% to 35.40% with Fusarium sp 1) and total energy value (203.82% to 172.15% by Cladosporium cladosporioides) were reduced significantly upon solid state fermentation of the rice straw. Moreover, cytotoxicity test disclosed the non – toxicity of the mycoprotein enriched rice straw in brine shrimp. Thus along with their single cell protein potentials is the capability of the endophytic fungi in enhancing the proximate composition of the rice straw.
