Optimizing Clarification of Pineapple Peel

Abstract

Alpha-amylase is a potentially useful enzyme for the pretreatment and pre-hydrolysis (clarification) of pineapple peel. The clarified products contain sufficient glucose content for ethanol fermentation. The influences of quantity of the peel to water (10-16 %w: weight of peel to weight of water), alpha-amylase amount (100-240 U/g: U of amylase to g of peel), pH value (5.5-7.0), temperature (70-100oC) and time (60-240 min) were investigated by RSM (Response surface methodology). To obtain 31.8 g/L of the highest glucose concentration, the clarification is to be performed by 16 %w peel to water, 188 U amylase/g, 5.5 pH at 70oC for 240 min.