Glycerol production by the UV-mutant marine yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus HH16-MU15 via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of fruit peels

Abstract

Agro-industrial wastes in Egypt are indefinite and sustainable substrate for production of numerous industrially significant products. Using of these wastes as raw materials can reduce both the production cost and the environmental pollution. The present research aims to produce glycerol from fruit peels by the UV-mutant marine yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus HH16-MU15. Fruits (banana, orange, mango and pomegranate) peels were pretreated by mechanical and hydrothermal methods before their fermentation into glycerol. The maximum total reducing sugars (5.792 ± 0.16gl-1) was obtained from mango peels followed by orange peels (5.33 ± 0.21gl-1) after their hydrothermally pretreatment. After fermentation, the maximum cellulase activity (8.911 Uml-1), total reducing sugars (48.59 gl-1) and glycerol yield (35.25 gl-1) by W. anomalus HH16-MU15 were achieved in the hydrolysate of hydrothermally pretreated orange peels at 96 hrs. The current investigation suggests the using of orange peels for production of glycerol and other valuable products by W. anomalus HH16-MU15.