A suitable extraction technique helps to increase the extraction yield and stimulate higher quality of pigments. Therefore, investigating the effect of different extraction solvents on red pigment produced via solid-state fermentation (SSF) by Monascus purpureus FTC 5357 are essential. In this study, oil palm frond (OPF) was used as a substrate for the fermentation process. The fermentation was conducted at 30 °C for eight days. Variation of solvents (95% ethanol, 60% ethanol and distilled water), pH and time of extractions were applied on the fermented product. The extracted pigment was then analysed using spectrophotometer at 500 nm, for red pigment. Combination of pH 6 and 60% ethanol at 16 h pronounced to be the best conditions to extract the pigment, with an absorbance value of 207 AU/g.d. The advantage of the ethanol as a solvent extraction is cheap and non-toxic. Later, the extracted pigment is safe to be used in food applications.

Lovastatin plays a role in lowering the cholesterol level in the human blood, especially the bad cholesterol or low density lipoproteins (LDL). Concurrently, lovastatin increase the good cholesterol or high density lipoproteins (HDL), to prevent the formation of plaque inside the blood vessels. The objective of this research was to experimentally optimize the lovastatin compound produced by Monascus purpureus FTC5357 under solid state fermentation (SSF) using oil palm frond (OPF). In order to identify the optimal condition to produce lovastatin, four parameters which were pH, initial moisture content, peptone and potassium, were optimized using Box-Behnken design. Based on the ANOVA analysis performed, initial moisture content, potassium and peptone contributed significantly to the lovastatin production. Meanwhile, pH had the least impact to the lovastatin production.. Peptone pronounced to be the most contributed factor, as the lovastatin production increased with the increasing of peptone in the substrate. Under optimized condition (pH 5.50, moisture content at 60%, 3.40 g of potassium, and 3.30 g of peptone) maximum lovastatin yield was 45.84 μg/g. The lovastatin produced through SSF using OPF as a substrate by Monascus purpureus FTC 5357 has a great potential to be utilized as a source of lovastatin in future.

The world’s largest contribution to biomass comes from lignocellulosic material. Oil palm biomass is one of the most important sources of lignocellulosic material in Asia, with biomass produced four times that of palm oil. Oil palm trunk (OPT), oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB), oil palm frond (OPF), and palm oil mill effluent (POME) are examples of biomass lignocellulosic materials produced. Unfortunately, the majority of waste is disposed of in landfills, causing serious environmental issues such as global warming and the greenhouse effect. These wastes are known to contain a high concentration of cellulose and hemicellulose. Because of its high carbohydrate content, it has a promising future as a feedstock for the fermentation process, which can produce a variety of chemical products at a low cost. This chapter will describe the biochemical products produced from various oil palm biomass via various fermentation processes involving various microorganism strains.

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