ARTICLE INFO

ABSTRACT

Received date: 18/08/2015

Accepted date: 08/08/2016

Thermotolerant ethanologenic yeasts have highly attracted many scientists due to the current challenges of increasing global temperature and the benefits associated with processing at high temperature as well as reducing cooling cost. In this study, 50 yeast strains were isolated from 35 different materials of cocoa. Based on characteristics of morphology, physiology and biochemistry, 50 yeast isolates were preliminarily classified into genera as Candida, Hanseniaspora, Kluyveromyces, Pichia, and Saccharomyces. There were 17/50 isolates showing their ethanol tolerant ability up to 12% (v/v) of ethanol and 23/50 isolates could grow at 45°C. The two selected isolates (CT2.5D and PD1.6H) were tested for the ethanol fermentation from molasses (22°Brix) at different temperatures. The results of ethanol concentrations obtained as follow: 7.36% (v/v) at 30°C, 4.15% (v/v) at 40°C, 1.45% (v/v) at 42°C by CT2.5D and 7.4% (v/v) at 30°C, 2.93% (v/v) at 40°C, 1.43% (v/v) at 42°C by PD1.6H. The identification results showed that CT2.5D and PD1.6H were Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

KEYWORDS

Cocoa, ethanol fermentation, ethanol tolerance, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, thermotolerant yeast

Cited as: Phong, H.X., Giang, N.T.C., Nitiyon, S., Yamada, M., Thanonkeo, P. and Dung, N.T.P., 2016. Ethanol production from molasses at high temperature by thermotolerant yeasts isolated from cocoa. Can Tho University Journal of Science. Vol 3: 32-37.