The production of ethanol from carob pods by Saccharomyces cerevisiae
in solid-state fermentation was investigated. The maximal ethanol conc
entration (160 +/- 3 g/kg dry pods), ethanol productivity (6.7 +/- 0.2
g/kg per hour), ethanol yield (40 +/- 1.8%), biomass concentration (7
.5 +/- 0.4 x 10(8) cells/g carob pulp) and fermentation efficiency (80
+/- 2%) were obtained at an inoculum amount of 3%, a particle size of
0.5 mm, a moisture level of 70%, a pH of 4.5 and a temperature of 30
degrees C. Under the same fermentation conditions both sterilized and
non-sterilized carob pods pulp gave the same maximum ethanol concentra
tion.