Mikrobiol. Z. 2016; 78(4):82-89.
doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/microbiolj78.04.082

Ethanol Production from Starch by Yeasts Isolated from Crops and Dairy Products

Pidgorskyi V.S., Ianieva O.D., Fomina M.O., Tkachenko K.S., Stoyan V.S.

Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine
154 Akad. Zabolotny Str., Kyiv, 03143, Ukraine

The aim of this work was to study the ability of yeasts isolated from crops and dairy products to convert starch to ethanol.
The isolated yeasts were screened for their ability to hydrolyze starch. Six most active strains were identified as Lipomyces mesembrius spp. 5.4, 5.5 and 6.4, Shwanniomyces vanrijiae var. yarowii F33, Torulaspora sp. F7 and Candida sp. S26. The selected yeasts produced low levels of ethanol from starch under aerobic conditions – 0.006 – 0.129 g/l (0.3 – 0.87 % of theoretical yield) and microaerobic conditions – 0.089 – 0.35 g/l (1.61 – 6.07 % of theoretical yield). These amylolytic yeast strains will be studied as the potential candidates for the cocultivation with efficient ethanol producers which do not possess the ability to directly hydrolyze starch.

Key words: amylolytic yeasts, ethanol, starch, biofuel.

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