ABSTRACT
Thermophilic moulds are the eukaryotic microorganisms which are ubiquouts in their occurrence in both thermogenic and non-thermogenic natural and man-made environments. These moulds are able to degrade organic matter efficiently, produce an array of useful enzymes, antibiotics and nutritionally enriched feeds are suitable as agents in bioconversions. Their enzymes are also useful in the treatment of industrial wastes and effluents that are rich in oil, heavy metals, anti-nutritional factors (e.g., phytic acid) and other polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicellulose, chitin and pectin). The enzymes are thermostable, and therefore, find applications in different industrial process including mushroom composting. The utility of their enzymes in generating glucose, xylose and mannose from the hydrolysis of agro-residues and their fermentation to bioethanol is a major venture in the field of biotechnology.
