Laccase production by a new isolate of Irpex cf. latemarginatus using cocoa (Theobroma cacao) husk waste as substrate under solid state fermentation.

Cocoa husk waste enables a 12.5-fold increase in laccase activity from Irpex cf. latemarginatus, reaching approximately 55 U L -1 under optimized conditions.

• Why it matters: Laccase enzymes have diverse industrial applications, but sustainable, low-cost production methods are limited, especially using agro-industrial waste.
• What they did: The study used solid-state fermentation with cocoa husk waste and applied Box-Behnken optimization, revealing that 30% cocoa bean shell supplementation significantly boosts enzyme yield.
• The result: The crude laccase exhibited maximum activity at pH 4.0 and 60 °C, with enhanced thermal stability at pH 5.0 and 40 °C, and activity was increased by CaCl 2 but inhibited by FeSO 4, SDS, and β-mercaptoethanol.