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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #105882
Title: PRODUCTION OF LOW COST SUGAR FROM CORN FIBER: PROGRESS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHALLENGES

Author
item Saha, Badal

Submitted to: United States Japan Natural Resources Protein Panel
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Corn fiber serves as a low cost carbohydrate feedstock for production of fuel ethanol and other value-added fermentation products. Currently, enzymatic saccharification of corn fiber to fermentable sugars faces significant technical and economic challenges. Its success depends largely on the development of an environmentally friendly pretreatment procedure and highly effective enzyme system for conversion of pretreated corn fiber to fermentable sugar. Several pretreatments (hot water, alkali, and dilute acid) and enzymatic saccharification methods were evaluated for conversion of corn fiber starch, cellulose, and hemicellulose to simple sugars. Based on these findings, a method for pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification of corn fiber is described. Our progress on the development of improved enzymes for use in cellulose and hemicellulose bioconversion will be highlighted.