ARS | Publication request: EFFECT OF DECORTICATING SORGHUM ON ETHANOL PRODUCTION AND COMPOSITION OF DISTILLER’S DRY GRAIN WITH SOLUBLES (DDGS)

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 1, 2005
Publication Date: September 11, 2005
Citation: Corredor, D.Y., Bean, S.R., Schober, T.J., and Wang, D. 2005. Effect of decorticating sorghum on ethanol production and composition of distiller’s dry grain with solubles (DDGS). Abstract No. 274 Page 154 in: Program Book of the 90th Annual Meeting of the AACC. [Abstract]

Technical Abstract: The use of a renewable biomass that contains considerable amounts of starch and cellulose could provide a sugar platform for the production of numerous bioproducts. Pretreatment technologies have been developed to increase the bioconversion rate for both starch- and cellulose-based biomass. This study investigated the effect of decortication as a pretreatment method on ethanol production from sorghum as well as its impact on distiller’s dry grains with solubles (DDGS) quality. Eight sorghum hybrids with 0, 10, and 20% of their outer layer removed were used as raw materials for ethanol production. The decorticated samples were fermented to ethanol by using <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>. In general, decortication decreased the protein content of the samples up to 12% and increased starch content by 5 to 15%. Fiber content was decreased by 50 to 90%. These changes allowed for a higher starch loading for ethanol fermentation and resulted in increased ethanol production. Ethanol yields increased 3 to 11% for the 10% decorticated sorghum and 8 to 18% for the 20% decorticated sorghum. Using decorticated grain increased the protein content of DDGS by 11 to 39% and lowered fiber content 22 to 55%. Using decorticated sorghum may be beneficial for ethanol plants as ethanol yield increases and feeding quality of the DDGS is improved.