• R.V.Madhumitha Indu
• Dr.P.Vanitha Pappa

Chicken feathers are the most abundant keratinous biomass in the world. Only 60-70% of the poultry slaughterhouse products are edible. The slaughterhouse by-products contain keratin which forms more than million tons of waste worldwide annually. Disposal of the huge and increasing volume of waste feathers, presents as a major concern for poultry industry. On the other hand, energy and material recovery of this valuable protein source is an important issue for organic solid waste treatment and bioenergy generation. The high protein content of poultry feather makes it an excellent raw material for various utilizations. Dried feather contains 91% proteins and with 0.2 methane potential (m 3 kg-1 VS added) and 0.05 methane potential. The keratin-content of the feather has the difficulty in pre-treatment before utilisation. Fungal isolates: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium species are found to produce keratinase enzyme, which can be beneficially used for pre-treatment of feather. Different types of fungal isolates which degrade keratinous substrate are screened using feather bait technique. The isolates were then cultured in feather meal medium to induce keratinase enzyme production. The activities of enzyme produced by different isolates were estimated using spectroscopic technique. The potential feather degrading enzyme is then analysed. The treated keratinous waste can be used economically in bio gas production, as fortified food for animals and also as bio fertilizer for plants. Recycling of the slaughterhouse feather and by-products can solve three main problems: disposal of harmful materials, producing of renewable energy and soil nutrient. Feather waste-this difficultly disintegrating material produced in large amount-finds an environmentally friendly way of utilization.

Feather bait technique, Keratinolytic fungi, estimation of keratinase activity, potential keratinolytic fungi_Aspergillus flavus.

"Isolation of Keratinolytic Microorganisms And Estimation of Keratinolytic Activity", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 3, page no.16-20, March-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRAL06005.pdf

"Isolation of Keratinolytic Microorganisms And Estimation of Keratinolytic Activity", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 3, page no. pp16-20, March-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRAL06005.pdf