Bioethanol production from concentrated fruit wastes’ juice enhanced with fermentable sugar from millet (Panicum miliaceum)

Abstract

Global dependence on expensive fossil fuels for transportation worsens environmental issues like air pollution and climate change, underscoring the need for sustainable, commercially viable alternatives. The aim of the present study was to explore the production of bioethanol fuel from fruit wastes including pineapple, mango, pawpaw, and watermelon, supplemented with millet flour, through a fermentation and distillation method. Physical pre-treatment of fruit wastes revealed a range of total soluble solids of 4.13 ± 0.09–12.0 ± 0.03°Brix. Pineapple juice gave the highest value and watermelon the lowest. The juice mixture and millet produced 25% alcohol content in the first 100 mL aliquot. Results show that pineapple juice with millet produced bioethanol of 43%, followed by mango (20%), pawpaw (15%), and watermelon 7%. Re-distillation produced 90% which has potential applications in transportation, cooking, and lighting. Findings suggest that fruit waste from the studied fruits can be utilized for bioethanol fuel production, promoting sustainable waste management and supporting circular economy. This demonstrates that fruit waste can be utilized to produce high-quality bioethanol fuel, promoting sustainable waste management. It showcases the efficient utilization of fruit waste in bioethanol fuel production when combined with millet flour, a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.