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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Grain Quality and Structure Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #178613

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

Author
item CORREDOR, D - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item Bean, Scott
item SCHOBER, T - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item WANG, D - KANSAS STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2005
Publication Date: 9/11/2005
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]

Interpretive Summary:

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 Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 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.