UTILIZATION OF MOLASSES AND AKALONA HYDROLYZATE FOR CONTINUOUS GLYCEROL PRODUCTION IN A PACKED-BED BIOREACTOR

Continuous glycerol fermentation of a by-product cane sugar molasses a nd wheat milling residues (akalona) was studied using sulfite as a com bining agent with the aldehyde. Thus, a local yeast Saccharomyces cere visiae could be used under anaerobic conditions instead of glycerol pr oduction microorganisms (osmophilic yeast's) which need essentially ae robic conditions. The processes were performed in a vertical packed-be d reactor with yeast cells immobilized in agar gel. The influence of t he dilution rate on the performance of the bioreactor was studied. The substrate and product concentration profiles along the column height are presented. A kinetic study has been used to identify the rate cont rolling step(s). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.