Culture conditions were optimized for an extracellular cold-active protease production by the psychrophilic bacterium Colwellia sp. NJ341. Response surface methodology was applied for the most significant fermentation parameters (casein, citrate sodium, temperature and Tween-80) identified earlier by one-factor-at-a-time approach. A 2(4) full factorial central composite design was employed to determine the maximum protease production. Using this methodology, the quadratic regression model of producing cold-active protease was built and the optimal combinations of media constituents for maximum protease production (183.21 U/mL) were determined as casein 5.18 g/L, citrate sodium 3.84 g/L, temperature 7.96 C, Tween-80 0.23 g/L. Protease production obtained experimentally coincident with the predicted value and the model was proven to be adequate. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.