Invertase ( -D (fructofuranosidase, EC 3.2.1.26) is one of the important commercial enzymes used in food industry. It catalyses the reaction of detachment of the terminal non-reducing -D-fructofuranoside residue in -D-fructofuranosides. A wide range of microorganisms produce Invertase and can, thus, utilize sucrose as the only carbon source and as inducer of such enzyme. Food processing industry produces an enormous amount of carbohydrate wastes, which pose increasing disposal costs and environmental challenges. Beside their pollution and hazardous aspects, these organic wastes are rich in biodegradable materials, and have potential to be used as suitable substrates for biotechnological productions. The present study was planned to produce Invertase from indigenous wastes including carrot and potato peels, as substrates for Aspergillus species through solid state fermentation (SSF). For this purpose, five different species were screened. Higher activities of Invertase were produced by Aspergillus niger on carrot peels and A.terreus on potato peels. Hence this study may helpful to produce, purify and characterize the enzyme by using the food processing wastes.

Antibiotics are secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms, extremely important to the health of our society. Cephalosporins are broad-spectrum antibiotics which are very similar in structure and action to penicillins but more resistant to - lactamases. Optimization of media is useful to increase the production of antibiotics. Induction of mutation is commonly employed to increase the yield of secondary metabolites like antibiotics. Chemical mutation is preferred method because of the ease in handling and avoiding the hazardous effects of radiations. Usually, mutations are induced in those microorganisms, which are well-known and well adapted for the production of that particular product. Selected microbes are cultured and treated with chemicals. The mutants are then screened for the particular product. There is an evidence of increasing production of secondary metabolites. The HPLC methods used in biotechnology are compared with other used for on-line analysis of -lactams in biotechnology. The data based on HPLC analysis is much reliable.

Plant cell and tissue culture methods are useful for mutation induction with radiation as well as chemicals. However, radiation is the preferred method to make genetic changes because of the ease in treating large populations, and the problems of handling and disposing of chemicals. Usually, mutations are induced in well-known and well-adapted plant varieties grown in a particular region. Selected and disease-free plants of these varieties are cultured in vitro, and irradiated with gamma, UV and X-rays. The irradiated plants, tissues, or cells are then multiplied many times, in vitro, from which full-grown plants are produced. They are then grown in soil for selection of the desired types. There is increasing evidence that for some traits, in-vitro grown cells, somatic embryos, and miniature-sized plants can be subjected to selection for disease resistance, tolerance to salinity, heat, cold and freezing. The in vitro culture of vegetatively propagated crops in combination with radiation-induced mutation has proven to be an invaluable method to produce variation and to rapidly multiply the mutant and parental material in disease- free conditions.