Sustainable Alternative Media for the Production of Lipolytic Cells and Fatty Acid Concentrates: Integration of the Enzyme and Food Industries

The use of agro-industrial by-products and processing residues, which are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, in the production of lipases allows the sustainable use of these residues, reducing environmental impacts. In this study, the immersion water of lentils, soybeans, and textured soy protein was evaluated as carbon and nitrogen sources in the production of whole-cell lipases, and the resulting biomass was used in the hydrolysis of residual soybean oil with conventional heating and ultrasound. The results showed that the best culture medium was the one with 50% textured soybean protein, reaching values of 149.04 U/g of hydrolytic activity, 12.92 g/L of biomass concentration, 144.17 U of total biomass activity, and specific and volumetric productivities of 2.07 U/g·h and 20.02 U/L·h, respectively. The positive effect of adding soybean frying oil to the crop was observed, which increased cell production and hydrolytic activity. The biomass obtained showed potential for the ultrasound-assisted hydrolysis of vegetable oils, reaching approximately 43.36% hydrolysis in 7 h of reaction, with an initial rate of 31.03 mmol/h. It is concluded that soybean protein processing water is a viable candidate to replace traditional nitrogen sources, being an economically attractive alternative due to its wide generation in restaurants.