ARS | Publication request: LACTIC ACID PRODUCTION FROM AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES

Submitted to: Biotechnology Letters
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: November 13, 2001
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Recently, many companies have expressed interest in producing lactic acid for biodegradable plastics. This study describes economical lactic acid production from alfalfa fiber and selected agricultural residues by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using pectinases and cellulsses. The resulting hydrated sugar residues are immediately fermented into lactic acid. Lactobacillus, which grows well at temperatures above 40 deg C allows both enzymatic saccharification and fermentation of feedstocks to proceed at faster rates and this enhances the rate of yield of lactic acid. In addition to alfalfa fiber, other agricultural feed stocks such as soya fiber, corn cob and wheat straw were also screened for lactic acid production by SSF. Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus plantarum were evaluated for lactic fermentation without any additional nutrients. Lactic acid production was higher in alfalfa fiber and soya fiber than in corn cob and wheat straw. In Lactobacillus plantarum, the amount of lactic acid obtained from alfalfa fiber and soya fiber was 46 and 44g/100g fiber respectively while in Lactobacillus delbrueckii, the lactic acid production in soya fiber was 44g/100g and that of alfalfa fiber was 32g/100g. Influence of different levels of pectinase and cellulase on SSF of lactic acid from alfalfa fiber were studied.