Production of lactic acid from corn cobs hydrolysate through fermentation by Lactobaccillus delbrukii

Abstract

This study describes several essential factors for indirect and effective lactic acid production from food wastes by strains of Lactobaccillus delbrukii using corn cob hydrolysates. The fermentation conditions considered were glucose concentration (1 - 5%), temperature (34 - 40 o C), time (0 - 8 days) and pH (5 - 6). After pretreatment of corn cobs by dilute acid, the lignocellulosic residue was used as raw materials for the saccharification and followed by lactic acid fermentation. The best fermentation conditions were 40 o C temperature, after 84 h of fermentation time. In the saccharification and subsequently fermentation process, the final concentration of lactic acid reached 17.73 g/L based on the glucose (reducing sugars) extracted from the saccharified corn cobs at pH 5-6.