A process for producing fungal fermentation product and a nutrient composition

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a simple, economical and energy efficient process for production of fermentation product. The process of the present disclosure employs extracted nutrient composition during the process of fermentation for efficient production of fermentation product when compared to conventional process. The present disclosure also relates to a nutrient composition extracted from fungal biomass obtained from fermentation process.

Description

[0001] “A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FUNGAL FERMENTATION PRODUCT AND A NUTRIENT COMPOSITION”

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of fermentation technology. The present disclosure particularly relates to an efficient process for producing fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules by utilizing nutrient composition extracted from fungal biomass. The present disclosure relates to a continuous fermentation process to produce the fermentation product by utilizing nutrient composition from fungal biomass. The present disclosure also relates to nutrient composition extracted from the fungal biomass of a fermentation process.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0005] Fermentation process plays an important role in production of a wide range of bio-based products, including biofuels, pharmaceuticals, food additives, and biochemicals. The fermentation process involves use of microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeast or fungi to convert organic substrates into desired products through metabolic pathways. However, despite a widespread application, fermentation processes often encounter challenges related to low yield efficiencies and environmental sustainability.

[0006] Primary challenge in industrial fermentation is suboptimal utilization of nutrients by microorganisms, leading to lower product yield. Further, accumulation of metabolic byproducts and unused nutrients results in generation of nutrient-rich effluents, which pose environmental concerns when discharged into water bodies or soil.

[0007] Efforts to improve fermentation processes have traditionally focused on optimizing fermentation conditions, such as pH, temperature, oxygen levels, and substrate concentrations. While these approaches have led to incremental improvements in yield and productivity, they often fail to address the broader issue of nutrient utilization, efficiency and effluent management.

[0008] Thus, there is a need for a process for improved production of fermentation product by effectively utilizing the nutrients from the cell biomass, particularly from fungal biomass. The present disclosure aims to provide a fermentation process with two-fold advantage, i.e., i. utilization of nutrients from fungal biomass for effective production of fermentation product; and ii. effective management of fermentation effluent.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0010] The present disclosure relates to a simple, economical and energy efficient process for production of fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules, wherein the fermentation process employs nutrient composition from the fungal biomass

[0011] In one embodiment, object of the present disclosure is extracting nutrient composition from fungal biomass and utilizing the extracted nutrient composition in the fermentation process for efficient production fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules from fungal cells. As a result, the fungal biomass from each batch of the fermentation is effectively utilized for extracting nutrient composition for using in the subsequent fermentation process, thereby reducing burden on effluent treatment. The nutrient composition extracted from the fungal biomass leads to efficient production of fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules due to rich nutritional value of the culture medium because of addition of the extracted nutrient composition. As a result, making the fermentation process economical and efficient.

[0012] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a process for producing fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules, said process comprisingextracting nutrient composition from fungal biomass; adding the extracted nutrient composition to the culture medium comprising fungal cells; and

[0013] - maintaining optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells, thereby producing the fermentation product.

[0014] The present disclosure also relates to a nutrient composition extracted from the fungal biomass from a fermentation process. The nutrient composition comprises components selected from a group protein, total fatty acids, total carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc, and selenium.

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in the disclosure, including technical and scientific terms, have meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. By means of further guidance, term definitions are included for better understanding of the present disclosure.

[0017] As used herein, the singular forms ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’ include both singular and plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0018] The term ‘comprising’, ‘comprises’ or ‘comprised of as used herein are synonymous with ‘including’, ‘includes’, ‘containing’ or ‘contains’ and are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, non-recited members, elements, or method steps.

[0019] The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers and fractions subsumed within the respective ranges, as well as the recited endpoints.

[0020] The term ‘about’ as used herein when referring to a measurable value such as a parameter, an amount, a temporal duration, and the like, is meant to encompass variations of ±10% or less, preferably ±5% or less, more preferably ±1% or less and still more preferably ±0. 1% or less of and from the specified value, insofar such variations are appropriate to perform the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the value to which the modifier ‘about’ refers is itself also specifically and preferably disclosed.

[0021] The term ‘exemplary’ or ‘exemplary embodiment’ as used herein refers to ‘serving as an example, instance, or illustration.’ Any embodiment of implementation of the present subject matter described herein as ‘exemplary’ is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0022] Reference throughout this specification to ‘some embodiments’, ‘one embodiment’ or ‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases ‘in some embodiments’, ‘in one embodiment’ or ‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification may not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. It is appreciated that certain features of the disclosure, which are for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the disclosure, which are, for brevity described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

[0023] As used herein, the term ‘extracted nutrients’ or ‘nutrient extract’ are used interchangeable and refers to nutrient composition extracted from fungal biomass from the fermentation process.

[0024] As used herein, the term ‘fungal biomass’ or ‘fungal cell biomass’ are used interchangeably and refers to biomass obtained after each batch of fermentation process involving fungal cells. In the present disclosure, the fungal biomass is employed for extracting nutrient composition for use in subsequent fermentation process for efficient production of fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules from fungal cells.

[0025] The present disclosure relates to simple, economical, energy efficient and improved process for producing fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules. The process of the present disclosure of environmentally friendly.

[0026] In one embodiment, the process of the present disclosure provides higher yield of fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules from fungal cells when compared to the fermentation process not employing extracted nutrient composition from fungal biomass as described in the present disclosure.

[0027] The inventors of the present disclosure have particularly identified that adding extracted nutrient composition from fungal biomass to the culture medium comprising fungal cells and providing optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells lead to efficient production of fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules. The inventors have also noted that adding extracted nutrient composition from fungal biomass to the culture medium comprising fungal cells during fermentation and providing optimum condition leads to higher yield of the fermentation product such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules from the fungal cells.

[0028] In some embodiments, addition of the extracted nutrient composition from the fungal biomass to the culture medium comprising fungal cells and providing optimum condition for growth of the microorganism increases yield of the fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules by least 15% when compared to the process not including extracted nutrient composition from the fungal biomass as described in the present disclosure.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the process for producing fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules comprises- extracting nutrient composition from fungal biomass; adding the extracted nutrient composition to the culture medium comprising fungal cells; and

[0030] - maintaining optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells, thereby producing the fermentation product.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in the process of producing fermentation product, extraction of nutrients comprises- lysing fungal biomass; extracting nutrient composition from the lysed fungal biomass; and

[0032] - processing / treating the extracted nutrients to obtain nutrient composition.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in the process of producing fermentation product, extraction of nutrient composition comprises- cultivating fungal cells (fungi) in a culture medium; lysing fungal cell biomass; extracting nutrient composition from the lysed fungal cell biomass; and

[0034] - processing / treating the extracted nutrient to obtain nutrient composition. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, fungal cells (fungi) includes but not limited Myceliophthora thermophila Cl, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, and Penicillium.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lysing of fungal biomass (fungal cell biomass) is carried out by techniques selected from a group comprising high pressure homogenization, heat treatment, enzyme treatment and any combination thereof.

[0036] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lysing of the fungal cells including but not limited to Myceliophthora thermophila Cl, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, and Penicillium is carried out by combination of high-pressure homogenization, heat treatment and enzyme treatment.

[0037] In an embodiment, the high-pressure homogenization of the fungal biomass is carried out at a pressure ranging from about 900 to 1500 bar pressure, including all the values in the range, for instance, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, and so on and so forth, up until 1500 bar pressure. In an embodiment, the high-pressure homogenization is carried out for about 1 to 3 passes. In an embodiment, the high-pressure homogenization is carried out for about 1 pass, 2 passes or about 3 passes at a pressure ranging from about 900 to 1500 bar pressure.

[0038] In an embodiment, the heat treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C, including all the values in the range, for instance, 61 °C, 62 °C, 63 °C, 64 °C and so on and so forth, up until 100 °C. In an embodiment, the heat treatment is carried out for a duration ranging from about 30 minutes to 60 minutes, including all the values in the range, for instance, 31 minutes, 32 minutes, 33 minutes, 34 minutes and so on and so forth.

[0039] In another embodiment, the heat treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out at a temperature of about 60 °C, about 65 °C, about 70 °C, about 75 °C, about 80 °C, about 85 °C, about 90 °C, about 95 °C or about 100 °C. In an embodiment, the heat treatment of the cell biomass is carried out for a duration of about 30 minutes, about 35 minutes, about 40 minutes, about 45 minutes, about 50 minutes, about 55 minutes or about 60 minutes.

[0040] In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out by employing enzyme including but not limited to chitinase, pectinase and lysozyme In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out by employing enzyme cocktail comprising chitinase, pectinase and lysozyme.

[0041] In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C for a duration ranging from about 60 minutes to 120 minutes.

[0042] In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out at a temperature of about 50 °C, about 51 °C, about 52 °C, about 53 °C, about 54 °C, about 55 °C, about 56 °C, about 57 °C, about 58 °C, about 59 °C or about 60 °C. In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out for a duration ranging from about 60 minutes to 120 minutes, including all the values in the range, for instance, 61 minutes, 62 minutes, 63 minutes, 64 minutes and so on and so forth, up until 120 minutes. In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out for a duration of about 60 minutes, about 70 minutes, about 80 minutes, about 90 minutes, about 100 minutes, about 110 minutes or about 120 minutes.

[0043] In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out at a pH ranging from about 5 to 7, including all the values in the range, for instance, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 and so on and so forth, up until 7. In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment of the fungal biomass is carried out at a pH of about 5, about 5.5, about 6, about 6.5 or about 7.

[0044] In some embodiments, the processing / treating of the extracted nutrients includes subjecting the extracted nutrients to separation techniques for separating the nutrient composition from undesired components, such as solid mass.

[0045] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, lysis of the fungal cells for extraction of the nutrient composition comprises- subjecting the fungal cell biomass to lysing at high-pressure homogenization at pressure ranging from about 900 to 1500 bar at about 1 to 3 passes. subjecting the homogenized fungal cell biomass to heat treatment at a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C, for a duration ranging from about 30 minutes to 60 minutes; and subjecting the heat-treated fungal cell biomass to enzyme treatment at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C at a pH ranging from about 5 to 7, for a duration ranging from about 60 minutes to 120 minutes.

[0046] In an embodiment, the enzyme treated fungal cell biomass is subjected to cooling to a temperature ranging from about 20 °C to 40 °C, including all the values in the range, for instance, 21 °C, 22 °C, 23 °C, 24 °C and so on and so forth, up until 40 °C. In an embodiment, the enzyme treatment cell biomass is subjected to cooling to a temperature of about 20 °C, about 25 °C, about 30 °C, about 35 °C or about 40 °C. The cooled enzyme treated fungal cell biomass is subjected to separation technique including but not limited to centrifugation and fdtration for extraction of nutrient composition. Liquid extract obtained from the separation techniques comprises combination of nutrients (nutrient composition) including components selected from a group comprising minerals, amino acids, vitamins micronutrients and combinations thereof.

[0047] In some embodiments, the nutrients present in the extracted nutrient composition includes but not limited to protein, total fatty acids selected from a group comprising saturated fatty acid, monosaturated fatty acid, and polysaturated fatty acid, total carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc, and selenium. In an embodiment, the dietary fiber includes but not limited to cellulose, hemicellulose, chitin, pectic substance and gums. In an embodiment, carbohydrates in the nutrients include but not limited to selected from a group comprising glucose, N-acetyl glucosamine and mannose.

[0048] In an embodiment, in the nutrient composition, the protein is in an amount ranging from about 8 to 12%; total fatty acid is in an amount ranging from about 2 to 4% the total carbohydrate is in an amount ranging from about 2.0 to 4.0%, the sugar is in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to 0.8%; the dietary fibre is in an amount ranging from about 4.0 to 8.0%; the vitamin B-12 is in an amount ranging from about 0.00001 to 0.00003%; the sodium is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the cholesterol is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the iron is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the zinc is in an amount ranging from 0.0005% to 0.0015%; and the selenium is in an amount ranging from about 0.000001% to 0.000003%. In an embodiment, the total fatty acid comprises- saturated fatty acid in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to 1.0%, the monosaturated fatty acid in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to 0.8%; and the polysaturated fatty acid is in an amount ranging from about 1.0 to 3.0%.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, the total fatty acid comprises- the saturated fatty acid in an amount of about 0.7%, the monosaturated fatty acid in an amount of about 0.5%, and the polysaturated fatty acid in an amount of about 1.8%.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, in the extracted nutrient composition, the protein is an amount of about 11%, the total fatty acid is in an amount of about 2.9%, the total carbohydrates is in an amount of about 3.0%, sugar is in an amount of about 0.5%; dietary fibre is in an amount of about 6.0%, the vitamin B-12 is in an amount of about 0.00002%, sodium is in an amount of about 0.0005%; cholesterol is in an amount of about 0.0005%, the iron is in an amount of about 0.0005%, zinc is in an amount of about 0.0009%, and selenium is in an amount of about 0.000002%.

[0051] In an embodiment, the nutrient composition comprises total amino acid content ranging from about 8g / 100 g to 12 g / 100 g of proteins. In an embodiment, the nutrient composition comprises total amino acid content of about 8.5 g / 100 g, about 9 g / 100 g, about 9.5 g / 100 g, about 10 g / 100 g, about 11 g / 100 g or about 12 g / 100 g.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the nutrient composition comprises total protein content of about 11 g / 100 g of proteins.

[0053] In some embodiments, the amino acid in the extracted nutrient composition includes but not limited to lysine, histidine, tryptophan, arginine, aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, cystine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. In an embodiment, the lysine is in an amount ranging from about 5% to 10 % of protein, histidine is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 3 % of protein, the tryptophan is in an amount ranging from about 5% to 10 % of protein, the arginine is in an amount ranging from about 10% to 20 % of protein, the threonine is in an amount ranging from about 2% to 5%, the serine is in an amount ranging from about 5% to 8 % of protein, the glutamic acid is in an amount ranging from about 5.0% to 10 % of protein, the proline is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 4 % of protein, the glycine is in an amount ranging from about 3% to 6 % of protein, the alanine is in an amount ranging from about 15% to 20 % of protein, the cystine is in an amount ranging from about 2% to 5 % of protein, the valine is in an amount ranging from about 0.5% to 2 % of protein, the methionine is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 3 % of protein, the isoleucine is in an amount ranging from about 3% to 8 % of protein, the tyrosine is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 3 % of protein, and the phenylalanine is in an amount ranging from about 0.2% to 2 % of protein.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the extracted nutrient composition comprises lysine in an amount of about 8.68 % of protein, histidine in an amount of about 1.8% of protein, tryptophan in an amount of about 6. 16% of protein, arginine in an amount of about 15.36% of protein, aspartic acid in an amount of about 4.64% of protein, threonine in an amount of about 3.84% of protein, serine in an amount of about 6.92% of protein, glutamic acid in an amount of about 7.8% of protein, proline in an amount of about 2.52% of protein, glycine in an amount of about 4.24 % of protein, alanine in an amount of about 16.48% of protein, cystine in an amount of about 3.64% of protein, valine in an amount of about 1.04% of protein, methionine in an amount of about 2.64% of protein, isoleucine in an amount of about 5.12% of protein, leucine in an amount of about 2% of protein, tyrosine in an amount of about 2.32% of protein and phenylalanine in an amount of about 4.8 % of protein.

[0055] In some embodiments, the vitamin in the extracted nutrient composition includes but not limited to riboflavin, calciferol, niacin and thiamine.

[0056] In an embodiment, residual biomass solids obtained after the separation technique is subjected to effluent treatment. The residual biomass solids would be about 15% of the original fungal cell mass.

[0057] In an embodiment, the culture medium employed for cultivation of fungal cells includes but not limited to yeast extract with dextrose and buffer composition, com steep powder, complex medium and modified basal medium.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, the extraction of nutrients comprises- cultivating fungal cells including but not limited to Myceliophthora thermophila Cl, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, and Penicillium in a culture medium including but not limited to yeast extract, dextrose, and buffer. subjecting fungal cell biomass to high-pressure homogenizer to obtain homogenized fungal lysate. subjecting the fungal lysate to heat treatment at a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C for a duration ranging from about 30 minutes to 60 minutes, subjecting the heat-treated fungal cell lysate to enzyme treatment by employing enzymes selected from a group comprising chitinase, pectinase, hemi-cellulase, amylase and combinations thereof, at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C at pH ranging from about 5 to 7, for a duration ranging from about 60 to 120 minutes. extracting the nutrient composition by subjecting the enzyme treated fungal lysate and its constituents to separation technique selected from a group comprising centrifugation and fdtration to obtain the nutrients and residual solid biomass.

[0059] The inventors of the present disclosure have identified that combination of high-pressure homogenization, heat treatment and enzyme treatment improves the efficiency of nutrient extraction from the fungal cell biomass to obtain the nutrient composition when compared conventional methods. The inventors have particularly identified that high pressure homogenization ranging from about 900 to 1500 bar pressure for one to three passes, followed by heating the homogenized fungal cell biomass (homogenized fungal lysate) to a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C for a duration ranging from about 50 minutes to 60 minutes, followed by enzyme treatment by employing enzymes selected from a group comprising cellulase, protease, hemi-cellulase, amylase and combinations thereof at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C at pH ranging from about 5 to 7, for a duration ranging from about 60 to 120 minutes, ensures selective liberation of nutrient composition selected from a group comprising minerals, amino acids, vitamins, micronutrients and combinations thereof while preserving the integrity of sensitive nutrients and bioactive compounds. The disclosed process of extracting said nutrient composition from the fungal cell biomass is scalable and suitable for industrial-scale applications, offering a cost-effective solution for the nutrient composition extraction from the fungal cell biomass.

[0060] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, in the process of producing the fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules, the optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells is- temperature in the range of about 20 °C to 30 °C, pH in the range of about 4 to 6. dissolved oxygen content of at least 25% and duration in the range of about 3 days to 8 days. In an embodiment, the temperature is about 20 °C, about 21 °C, about 22 °C, about 23 °C, about 24 °C, about 25 °C, about 26 °C, about 27 °C, about 28 °C, about 29 °C or about 30 °C. In an embodiment, the pH is about 4.1, about 4.2, about 4.3, about 4.4, about 4.5, about 4.6, about 4.7sabout 4.8, about 4.9, about 5.0, about 5.1, about 5.2, about 5.3, about 5.4, about 5.5, about 5.6, about 5.7aabout 5.8, about 5.9 or about 6.0. In an embodiment, the duration is about 3 days, about 4 days, about 5 days, about 6 days, about 7 days or about 8 days.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the process for producing said fermentation product comprises- cultivating fungal cells in a culture medium at a temperature ranging from about 22 °C to 30°C, for a duration ranging from about 3 to 8 days; subjecting the fungal cell biomass to high pressure homogenization at 900 to 1500 bar for about one to three passes; subjecting the homogenized fungal cell biomass to the heat treatment at a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C for a duration ranging from about 30 minutes to 60 minutes; subjecting the heat-treated fungal cell biomass to enzyme treatment by employing enzymes selected from a group comprising cellulase, protease, hemi-cellulase, amylase and combinations thereof, at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C at pH ranging from about 5 to 7, for a duration ranging from about 60 to 120 minutes; extracting the nutrient composition by subjecting the enzyme treated fungal cell biomass and its constituents to separation technique selected from a group comprising centrifugation and fdtration to obtain extracted nutrient composition and residual solid biomass; adding the extracted nutrient composition to the culture medium comprising fresh batch of fungal cells; and

[0062] - maintaining optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells, thereby producing the fermentation product.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the process for producing said fermentation product comprises- cultivating fungal cells in a culture medium at a temperature ranging from about 22 °C to 30°C, for a duration ranging from about 3 to 8 days; subjecting the fungal cell biomass to high pressure homogenization at 900 to 1500 bar for about one to three passes; subjecting the homogenized fungal cell biomass to the heat treatment at a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C for a duration ranging from about 30 minutes to 60 minutes; subjecting the heat-treated fungal cell biomass to enzyme treatment by employing enzymes selected from a group comprising cellulase, protease, hemi-cellulase, amylase and combinations thereof, at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C at pH ranging from about 5 to 7, for a duration ranging from about 60 to 120 minutes; extracting the nutrient composition by subjecting the enzyme treated fungal cell biomass and its constituents to separation technique selected from a group comprising centrifugation and fdtration to obtain extracted nutrient composition and residual solid biomass; subjecting the residual solid biomass to effluent treatment to obtain treated effluent of residual biomass adding the extracted nutrient composition and treated effluent of residual biomass to the culture medium comprising fresh batch of fungal cells; and

[0064] - maintaining optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells, thereby producing the fermentation product.

[0065] In an embodiment, about 60 litres or about 20 litres to 100 litres of extracted nutrient composition is added to the culture medium for producing fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules in each batch of fermentation.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the process of the present disclosure increases yield of the fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules by at least 15% when compared to conventional fermentation process not including addition of said extracted nutrient composition as described in the present disclosure. In one embodiment, according to the process of the present disclosure, the extracted nutrient composition obtained from the fungal cell biomass is introduced into the culture medium, thereby enriching the culture medium with essential specific combination of nutrients (nutrient composition), as a result improving the yield of the fermentation product by the cultured fungal cells, such as Myceliphthora thermophila Cl, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, and Penicillium.

[0067] The process of the present disclosure uses the nutrient composition from the fungal cell biomass of the previous fermentation batch rather than discarding the fungal cell biomass for increasing nutritional value of the culture medium for efficient production of the fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules. Thereby, reduces burden on the effluent treatment and improves production of fermentation product.

[0068] The process of the present disclosure is a continuous fermentation process to produce fermentation product, such as proteins, enzymes, small organic molecules including but not limited to vitamins, antibiotics, APIs and building block molecules wherein the nutrient composition from the fungal cell biomass is effectively added to the culture medium for increasing the nutritional value of the culture medium and thereby improving the production of said fermentation product.

[0069] The present disclosure further relates to nutrient composition obtained from the fungal cell biomass of the fermentation process.

[0070] The nutrient composition of the present disclosure aid in improving the growth of the fungal cell during fermentation, as a result enhances the production of fermentation product when compared to a fermentation process not employing said nutrient composition of the present disclosure. The nutrient composition of the present disclosure aid in improving the yield of the fermentation product by at least 15%.

[0071] In an embodiment, the nutrient composition includes but not limited to protein, total fatty acids selected from a group comprising saturated fatty acid, monosaturated fatty acid, and polysaturated fatty acid, total carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc, and selenium. In an embodiment, the dietary fiber includes but not limited to cellulose, hemicellulose, chitin, pectic substance and gums. In an embodiment, carbohydrates in the nutrients include but not limited to selected from a group comprising glucose, N-acetyl glucosamine and mannose.

[0072] In an embodiment, in the nutrient composition, the protein is in an amount ranging from about 8 to 12%; total fatty acid is in an amount ranging from about 2 to 4% the total carbohydrate is in an amount ranging from about 2.0 to 4.0%, the sugar is in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to 0.8%; the dietary fibre is in an amount ranging from about 4.0 to 8.0%; the vitamin B-12 is in an amount ranging from about 0.00001 to 0.00003%; the sodium is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the cholesterol is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the iron is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the zinc is in an amount ranging from 0.0005% to 0.0015%; and the selenium is in an amount ranging from about 0.000001% to 0.000003%.

[0073] In an embodiment, in the nutrient composition the total fatty acid comprises- saturated fatty acid in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to 1.0%, the monosaturated fatty acid in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to 0.8%; and the polysaturated fatty acid is in an amount ranging from about 1.0 to 3.0%.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, in the nutrient composition, the total fatty acid comprises- the saturated fatty acid in an amount of about 0.7%, the monosaturated fatty acid in an amount of about 0.5%, and the polysaturated fatty acid in an amount of about 1.8%.

[0075] In an exemplary embodiment, in the nutrient composition, the protein is an amount of about 11%, the total fatty acid is in an amount of about 2.9%, the total carbohydrates is in an amount of about 3.0%, sugar is in an amount of about 0.5%; dietary fibre is in an amount of about 6.0%, the vitamin B-12 is in an amount of about 0.00002%, sodium is in an amount of about 0.0005%; cholesterol is in an amount of about 0.0005%, the iron is in an amount of about 0.0005%, zinc is in an amount of about 0.0009%, and selenium is in an amount of about 0.000002%.

[0076] In an embodiment, the nutrient composition comprises total amino acid content ranging from about 8g / 100 g to 12 g / 100 g of proteins. In an embodiment, the nutrient composition comprises total amino acid content of about 8.5 g / 100 g, about 9 g / 100 g, about 9.5 g / 100 g, about 10 g / 100 g, about 11 g / 100 g or about 12 g / 100 g. In an exemplary embodiment, the nutrient composition comprises total protein content of about 11 g / 100 g of proteins.

[0077] In some embodiments, the amino acid in the extracted nutrient composition includes but not limited to lysine, histidine, tryptophan, arginine, aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, cystine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. In an embodiment, the lysine is in an amount ranging from about 5% to 10 % of protein, histidine is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 3 % of protein, the tryptophan is in an amount ranging from about 5% to 10 % of protein, the arginine is in an amount ranging from about 10% to 20 % of protein, the threonine is in an amount ranging from about 2% to 5%, the serine is in an amount ranging from about 5% to 8 % of protein, the glutamic acid is in an amount ranging from about 5.0% to 10 % of protein, the proline is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 4 % of protein, the glycine is in an amount ranging from about 3% to 6 % of protein, the alanine is in an amount ranging from about 15% to 20 % of protein, the cystine is in an amount ranging from about 2% to 5 % of protein, the valine is in an amount ranging from about 0.5% to 2 % of protein, the methionine is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 3 % of protein, the isoleucine is in an amount ranging from about 3% to 8 % of protein, the tyrosine is in an amount ranging from about 1% to 3 % of protein, and the phenylalanine is in an amount ranging from about 0.2% to 2 % of protein.

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment, the extracted nutrient composition comprises lysine in an amount of about 8.68 % of protein, histidine in an amount of about 1.8 % of protein, tryptophan in an amount of about 6.16 % of protein, arginine in an amount of about 15.36 % of protein, aspartic acid in an amount of about 4.64 % of protein, threonine in an amount of about 3.84 % of protein, serine in an amount of about 6.92% of protein, glutamic acid in an amount of about 7.8 % of protein, proline in an amount of about 2.52% of protein, glycine in an amount of about 4.24 % of protein, alanine in an amount of about 16.48 % of protein, cystine in an amount of about 3.64 % of protein, valine in an amount of about 1.04 % of protein, methionine in an amount of about 2.64 % of protein, isoleucine in an amount of about 5.12 % of protein, leucine in an amount of about 2 % of protein, tyrosine in an amount of about 2.32 % of protein and phenylalanine in an amount of about 4.8 % of protein.

[0079] In some embodiments, the vitamin in the extracted nutrient composition includes but not limited to riboflavin, calciferol, niacin and thiamine. The process of the present disclosure addresses the problem of fermentation industries dealing with waste disposal in the form of cell biomass. In the present disclosure, the fungal cell biomass is treated, and nutrients are extracted to use in further fermentation batches for efficient production of fermentation product. As a result, the quantity of effluent to be treated is significantly reduced and thus reducing the cost of effluent treatment.

[0080] While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific aspects thereof have been shown by way of examples (and drawings) described in detail below. However, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure is therefore further described with reference to the following examples, which are only illustrative in nature and should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any manner.

[0081] EXAMPLES

[0082] Example 1

[0083] (a) Seed Culture

[0084] Potato dextrose broth was used as a seed medium for growing Myceliphthora thermophila Cl culture by below composition. Ready medium was prepared according to the required concentrations and autoclaved at 121 °C for 20 minutes. A fresh recombinant culture of Myceliphthora thermophila Cl was removed from the deep freezer (-80°C) and inoculated into the sterile potato dextrose broth medium and kept in shaker incubator at 200 rpm and at a temperature of 37 °C for 24 hours.

[0085] The seed culture was transferred to a bigger volume in the flask to match the volume required for inoculating 100L fermentation batch. 5L inoculum was used to inoculate the 100L fermentation batch in 300 L fermenter. Packed cell volume, pH, and sterility were checked before transferring the inoculum from one stage to another. It was made sure the culture has attained the proper growth and is in the early logarithmic phase of the growth. Usually, Myceliphthora thermophila Cl culture attains the packed cell volume of 20.0 - 30.0% at 36 hours of incubation. (b) Media preparation and Sterilization

[0086] Required amounts of individual media components, such as com steep solids, ammonium sulphate, magnesium sulphate and glucose were weighed according to the formulation of the media. Each component was added sequentially to a clean and sterile container containing a suitable volume of portable water, ensuring complete dissolution before adding the next component. The solution was gently stirred to facilitate dissolution and homogenization of the components. Once all the components were added and dissolved completely the medium was transferred to the fermenter and the volume was made up with the RO water.

[0087] The medium was sterilized using the program given in the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) computer.

[0088] Multi vitamin solution (MV S) was prepared separately as per the protocol and filter sterilized using PES filter to support the growth. MVS was added to the fermenter after adjusting the pH of the media aseptically to 5.00 with addition of ammonium hydroxide solution.

[0089] (c) Fermentation

[0090] 300L Bio-Jenik fermenter was chosen for the trials, which has the working volume of 200L. Before starting the fermentation, Cleaning in Place (CIP) was done to ensure that the fermenter was clean and free from previous fermentation cycles.

[0091] 5L of Well grown inoculum was transferred from Erlenmeyer flasks to the fermenter aseptically. Now the fermenter was inoculated with 5% of the inoculum with the optical density of 15 to 20.

[0092] Once the fermenter was inoculated, there was a lag phase for the Myceliphthora thermophila Cl culture to adopt to the environment. As soon as the inoculation was done, glucose and yeast extract were fed to the fermenter in a pre-determined federate. Once the growth began, pH was slowly increased to 7.5 and started to decrease. Once the pH reached 5.0, then the pH was maintained at same level throughout the batch using 25% ammonium hydroxide solution. Residual glucose was periodically checked to avoid the accumulation of carbon source. If the glucose value was found more than 0.5 g / 1 then the glucose feed was either stopped or reduced to maintain the residual glucose level less than 0.5 g / 1. Yeast extract was continuously fed to avoid the nitrogen deficiency in the process. Packed cell volume of the fungal culture increased to 40% and was noted to slowly reduce to 20% at the end of fermentation. Fermentation broth harvest was determined based on the protein expression. Once the protein expression stagnated for two or more consecutive samples, then the harvesting was made. The fermentation process was carried out for a duration of about 120 hours at a temperature of about 28 °C.

[0093] Example 2 Fungal Biomass isolation

[0094] At the end of fermentation, packed cell volume was 20%. Once the fermentation process attained the maximum productivity, the batch was harvested by cooling it down to 10°C to prevent the contamination and prevent the protein to degrade. Volume of the fermenter at the end of fermentation was 220 litres because of glucose and yeast extract feeding. The wet weight of the total broth was 44 Kgs based on the packed cell volume calculations and the supernatant volume was 176 litres.

[0095] Harvested broth was then put through continuous centrifuge / fdter press for separating the cells from the supernatant which included protein of interest (fermentation product). Cell broth was continuously fed into the centrifuge through a feed inlet. Continuous centrifuge takes a feed of 25 litres per hour feed rate. As the broth entered the centrifuge, it was subjected to high-speed rotation of 7500 rotations per minute. This force causes the denser components of the mixture to move outward towards the walls of centrifuge rotor while the lighter components remain closer to the centre. Inside the centrifuge, there is a separation zone where the denser components accumulate. This zone is typically located near the walls of the centrifuge rotor. The lighter components form an inner layer or core.

[0096] To recover the maximum recombinant protein from the cell broth, centrifugation was repeated till the protein recovery was greater than 90%. Final slurry which has nil to negligible amount of recombinant protein was collected separately. The resultant supernatant volume was 280 litres after processing for 3 times and was further processed for extracting the protein of interest through various flitrations, chromatography techniques etc.

[0097] Example 3: Fungal Biomass lysis Centrifuged fungal biomass of about 60 litres having packed cell volume of 75% was taken. The fungal biomass was lysed through high-pressured homogenizer at 1500 bar for 3 passes. Fungal cell lysate was transferred into a heat-resistant reactor where the lysate was diluted to ease the heating process. Lysate was heated at 90°C for a predetermined duration of 30-60 minutes, using a controlled heating system. The temperature was monitored throughout the process to ensure uniform heating and avoid overheating.

[0098] Example 4: Extraction and processing of nutrients

[0099] An enzyme cocktail was prepared containing a combination of chitinase, pectinase, cellulase, and amylase enzymes. This enzyme cocktail was added to the heated fungal biomass at the 5 ml / 1 concentration, ensuring thorough mixing. The biomass-enzyme mixture was incubated at an optimal temperature and pH for enzyme activity at 60-70°C and pH 5.0-7.0, respectively. After the enzymatic treatment, the mixture was cooled to room temperature and centrifuged or fdtered to separate the liquid extract from residual biomass solids. The clarified extract containing proteins, total fatty acid, carbohydrate, sugar, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc and selenium and other nutrients for further processing.

[0100] Cell debris or remaining solid cell cake was sent for effluent treatment which was 15% of the original volume of the cell mass before treatment which is a significant reduction of biomass in volume for effluent treatment.

[0101] The combination of heat treatment, pH adjustment and lysis by enzyme cocktail significantly improved the efficiency of extraction of nutrient composition (proteins, total fatty acid, carbohydrate, sugar, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc and selenium) from fungal biomass compared to conventional methods. The use of mild heat, pH and specific enzymes ensure selective liberation of specific combination of nutrients (proteins, total fatty acid, carbohydrate, sugar, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc and selenium) while preserving the integrity of sensitive nutrients and bioactive compounds. The proposed method is scalable and suitable for industrial-scale applications, offering a cost- effective solution for nutrient extraction from fungal biomass.

[0102] Extracted nutrient composition comprises amino acids, carbohydrate, total fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins, which were analysed using GC / Kjeldahl. Details of the components in the extracted nutrient composition is provided in Table 1. Table 2 describes amino acid present in the extracted nutrient composition.

[0103] Table 1:

[0104] Amino acids content

[0105] Table 2:

[0106] Example 5: Improving yield of fermentation product by addition of nutrient composition The fermentation product, such as cellulase, xylanase and cellobiohydrolase was produced according to the process described herein.

[0107] About 60 litres of extracted nutrient composition was added to subsequent batch of fermentation process. Yeast extract, dextrose and buffer medium was prepared (as per the conventionally available protocol) in required volume and added to the fermenter to make up the volume. In this fermentation process, 75% of the volume was carried forwarded from the previous batch along with said extracted nutrient composition.

[0108] Fermentation was carried out as described in Example 1. In this fermentation process, growth of the culture was slightly faster than the previous batch (i.e., the fermentation described in Example 1) and the protein expression was 15% higher than the previous batch (i.e., fermentation described in Example 1, carried out without the addition nutrient composition).

[0109] It was noted that the fermentation products- cellulase, xylanase and cellobiohydrolase were expressed at 15% higher than the previous batch.

[0110] Example 6: Improving the yield of fermentation product by addition of nutrient composition

[0111] The fermentation product, such as cellulase, xylanase and cellobiohydrolase was produced according to the process described herein.

[0112] About 120 litres of the nutrient composition, optionally along with treated effluent of residual biomass was added to subsequent batch of fermentation process. About 30 litres of media comprising Yeast extract, dextrose and buffer added to the fermenter to make up the volume up to about 120 litres.

[0113] Fermentation was carried out according to the process described in Example 1c. In this fermentation process, growth of the fungal cell was slightly faster than the previous batch (fermentation described in Example 1c) and the protein expression was about 15 % higherthan the previous batch.

[0114] It was noted that the fermentation products- cellulase, xylanase and cellobiohydrolase were expressed at 15% higher than the previous batch. The present disclosure is further explained by the following numbered embodiments. These embodiments represent important aspects of the present disclosure, but should not be construed to limit its scope:

[0115] 1. A process for production of fermentation product in fermentation process, said process comprises- extracting nutrient composition from fungal biomass; adding the extracted nutrient composition to culture medium comprising fungal cells; and

[0116] - maintaining optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells, thereby producing the fermentation product.

[0117] 2. The process as defined in embodiment 1, wherein the extraction of nutrient composition from fungal cell biomass is carried out bylysing fungal cell biomass; extracting nutrient composition from the lysed fungal cell biomass; and

[0118] - processing / treating the extracted nutrients to obtain nutrient composition.

[0119] 3. The process as defined in embodiment 2, wherein the lysing of the fungal cell biomass comprises subjecting the fungal cell biomass to technique selected from a group comprising high pressure homogenization, heat treatment and enzyme treatment.

[0120] 4. The process as defined in embodiment 3, wherein the high-pressure homogenization is carried out at a pressure ranging from 900 to 1500 bar for one to three passes.

[0121] 5. The process as defined in embodiment 3, wherein the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C, for a duration ranging from about 30 minutes to 60 minutes.

[0122] 6. The process as defined in embodiment 3, wherein the enzyme treatment is carried out by adding enzyme selected from a group comprising cellulase, protease, hemi -cellulase, amylase and combinations thereof. 7. The process as defined in embodiment 3, wherein the enzyme treatment is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C at pH ranging from about 5 to 7, for a duration ranging from about 60 minutes to 120 minutes.

[0123] 8. The process as defined in embodiment 3 , post the enzyme treatment, the enzyme treated fungal cell biomass and constituents are subjected to separation technique selected from a group comprising centrifugation and filtration to obtain liquid extract comprising extracted nutrients and residual biomass solids.

[0124] 9. The process as defined in embodiment 1, wherein the extracted nutrients comprises component selected from a group comprising minerals, fatty acid, carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, amino acids, vitamins, micronutrients and combinations thereof.

[0125] 10. The process as defined in embodiment 9, wherein the minerals is selected from a group comprising sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc, selenium and combinations thereof.

[0126] 11. The process as defined in embodiment 9, wherein the amino acid is selected from a group lysine, histidine, tryptophan, arginine, aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, cysteine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucin, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and combinations thereof.

[0127] 12. The process as defined in embodiment 9, wherein the extracted nutrients comprise total amino acid content ranging from about 8 g / 100 g to 12 g / 100 g.

[0128] 13. The process as defined in embodiment 1, wherein the process provides at least 15% increase in the yield of the fermentation product when compared to conventional process.

[0129] 14. A nutrient composition extracted from fungal cell biomass of fermentation process, the nutrient composition comprises component selected from a group comprising protein, total fatty acids, total carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc, and selenium.

[0130] Additional embodiments and features of the present disclosure will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in art based on the description provided herein. The embodiments herein provide various features and advantageous details thereof in the description. Descriptions of well- known / conventional methods and techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein.

[0131] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and / or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments in this disclosure have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

[0132] Throughout this specification, the term ‘combinations thereof or ‘any combination thereof or ‘any combinations thereof are used interchangeably and are intended to have the same meaning, as regularly known in the field of patents disclosures.

[0133] As regards the embodiments characterized in this specification, it is intended that each embodiment be read independently as well as in combination with another embodiment. For example, in case of an embodiment 1 reciting 3 alternatives A, B and C, an embodiment 2 reciting 3 alternatives D, E and F and an embodiment 3 reciting 3 alternatives G, H and I, it is to be understood that the specification unambiguously discloses embodiments corresponding to combinations A, D, G; A, D, H; A, D, I; A, E, G; A, E, H; A, E, I; A, F, G; A, F, H; A, F, I;

[0134] B, D, G; B, D, H; B, D, I; B, E, G; B, E, H; B, E, I; B, F, G; B, F, H; B, F, I; C, D, G; C, D, H;

[0135] C, D, I; C, E, G; C, E, H; C, E, I; C, F, G; C, F, H; C, F, I, unless specifically mentioned otherwise.

[0136] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the particular features of this disclosure, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be made, and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other modifications in the nature of the disclosure or the preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A process for producing fermentation product, said process comprises- extracting nutrient composition from fungal biomass adding the extracted nutrient composition to culture medium comprising fungal cells; and- maintaining optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells, thereby producing the fermentation product.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extraction of nutrient composition from fungal cell biomass comprises- lysing fungal cell biomass by subjecting the biomass to technique selected from a group comprising high pressure homogenization, heat treatment, enzyme treatment and combination thereof; and separating the nutrients from residual solid biomass to obtain the nutrient composition.

3. The process as claimed claim in claim 2, wherein the high pressure homogenization is carried out at a pressure ranging from about 900 to 1500 bar for about 1 to 3 passes.

4. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 60 °C to 100 °C, for a duration ranging from about 30 minutes to 60 minutes.

5. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the enzyme treatment is carried out by adding enzyme selected from a group comprising cellulase, protease, hemi-cellulase, amylase and combinations thereof.

6. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the enzyme treatment is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 50 °C to 60 °C and at pH ranging from about 5 to 7, for a duration ranging from about 60 minutes to 120 minutes.

7. The process as claimed in claim 2, separating the nutrient composition is carried out by techniques selected from a group comprising centrifugation, fdtration and combination thereof.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fungal biomass is biomass of fungi selected from a group comprising Myceliophthora thermophila Cl, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and combinations thereof.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fungal cell is selected from a group comprising Myceliophthora thermophila Cl, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and combinations thereof.

10. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the culture medium comprises yeast extract, dextrose and buffer composition.

11. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optimum condition for growth of the fungal cells comprises temperature ranging from about 20°C to 30°C, a pH ranging from about 4 to 6 and duration ranging from about 3 days to 8 days.

12. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the residual solid biomass is subjected to effluent treatment to obtain treated effluent of cell biomass.

13. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nutrient composition is optionally combined with treated effluent of cell biomass while adding to the culture medium.

14. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein nutrient composition comprises components selected from a group protein, total fatty acids, total carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc, and selenium.

15. The process as claimed in claim 14, wherein the nutrient comprises components selected from a group comprising the protein is in an amount ranging from about 8 to 12%; total fatty acid is in an amount ranging from about 2 to 4% the total carbohydrate is in an amount ranging from about 2.0 to 4.0%, the sugar is in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to 0.8%; the dietary fibre is in an amount ranging from about 4.0 to 8.0%; the vitamin B-12 is in an amount ranging from about 0.00001 to 0.00003%; the sodium is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the cholesterol is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the iron is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the zinc is in an amount ranging from 0.0005% to 0.0015%; and the selenium is in an amount ranging from about 0.000001% to 0.000003%.

16. A nutrient composition comprises components selected from a group protein, total fatty acids, total carbohydrates, sugars, dietary fibre, vitamin B-12, sodium, cholesterol, iron, zinc, and selenium.

17. The nutrient composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the protein is in an amount ranging from about 8 to 12%; total fatty acid is in an amount ranging from about 2 to 4% the total carbohydrate is in an amount ranging from about 2.0 to 4.0%, the sugar is in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to 0.8%; the dietary fibre is in an amount ranging from about 4.0 to 8.0%; the vitamin B-12 is in an amount ranging from about 0.00001 to 0.00003%; the sodium is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the cholesterol is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the iron is in an amount ranging from 0.0002% to 0.001%; the zinc is in an amount ranging from 0.0005% to 0.0015%; and the selenium is in an amount ranging from about 0.000001% to 0.000003%.

18. The nutrient composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the total fatty acid comprises- saturated fatty acid in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to 1.0%, the monosaturated fatty acid in an amount ranging from about 0.2 to 0.8%; and the polysaturated fatty acid is in an amount ranging from about 1.0 to 3.0%.

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