GUWAHATI, March 19: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) have analysed panitenga, a traditional fermented food from Assam, to identify beneficial bacterial strains with potential industrial applications.
The research team at IIT-Guwahati, led by Lalit Mohan Pandey, associate professor, department of biosciences and bioengineering, IIT-G, identified bacillus subtilis SMP-2 as a significant bacterial strain present in panitenga. This strain, the team claimed, has the unique ability to produce biosurfactants, which are natural compounds with diverse industrial and environmental applications.
Surfactants are substances that help mix materials that do not naturally combine, such as oil and water. They are commonly used in products such as soaps, detergents and shampoos, allowing them to remove grease and dirt.
Unlike chemical surfactants, which can be harmful to the environment, biosurfactants are biodegradable, eco-friendly and effective even under extreme conditions.
The potential applications of biosurfactants include: microbial-enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) that improves oil extraction efficiency from underground reservoirs; bioremediation, which helps clean up oil spills in oceans and soil and, thirdly, replacement of synthetic additives in skincare and drug formulations.
Speaking about the research, Lalit M. Pandey said, “We optimised environmental conditions to maximise biosurfactant production from bacillus subtilis SMP-2. We found that the best conditions were a pH of 6, a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, and a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 3:1, using glycerol as the carbon source and yeast extract as the nitrogen source.”
“Moreover, the isolated bacteria exhibited a remarkable potential for crude oil degradation (10 g/L), achieving an impressive degradation efficiency of 83 percent,” Pandey said.
“Under these conditions, the bacteria produced 8.13 grams per litre of a lipopeptide biosurfactant. This biosurfactant significantly reduced the surface tension of water, indicating its effective ability to break down oil and grease. Furthermore, it exhibited high stability across varying pH levels, temperatures and salt concentrations. Its antimicrobial properties further make it a promising candidate for medical and healthcare applications,” he said.
The research, the team claims, bridges traditional food knowledge with modern biotechnology. By unlocking the potential of microbes found in panitenga, scientists are advancing probiotic research while opening new possibilities for eco-friendly industrial solutions.