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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #82283
Title: FUEL ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM CORN FIBER: CURRENT STATUS AND TECHNICAL PROSPECTS

Author
item Saha, Badal
item Dien, Bruce
item Bothast, Rodney

Submitted to: Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Corn fiber, which consists of about 20% starch, 14% cellulose and 35% hemicellulose, has the potential to serve as a low cost feedstock for production of fuel ethanol. Currently, the use of corn fiber to produce fuel ethanol faces significant technical and economic challenges. Its success depends largely on the development of environmentally friendly pretreatment procedures, highly effective enzyme systems for conversion of pretreated corn fiber to fermentable sugars and efficient microorganisms to convert multiple sugars to ethanol. Several promising pretreatment and enzymatic processes for conversion of corn fiber cellulose, hemicellulose and remaining starch to fermentable sugars were evaluated. These hydrolyzates were then examined for ethanol production in bioreactors using genetically modified bacteria and yeast. Several novel enzymes were also developed for use in pretreated corn fiber saccharification.