Fermentation of Pentose and Hexose Derived from Cellulosic Food Wastes by Mixed Yeast

It is indispensable to increase the conversion rate of a reducing sugars such as pentose and hexose derived from cellulosic wastes for a highly efficient bioethanol fermentation from food wastes. The saccharification liquid from cellulosic substrates such as vegetable food wastes contained lots of hexose like glucose and pentose like xylose. Since Saccharomyces-based yeasts could not convert xylose to bioethanol, Pichia stipitis which could directly ferment xylose to ethanol was chosen. After selecting Saccharomyces coreanus and P. stipitis, fermentation characteristics by mixture of two yeasts were investigated. As a result, it was verified the production of ethanol was enhanced by the co-fermentation, although there were somewhat differences between the fermentation characteristics by the aeration methods. Moreover, the consumption of pentose, hexose and disaccharide was obviously observed, and aeration in the process of fermentation seemed to stimulate the activity of P. stipitis.