Production of Xylitol from Corn Biomass using Candida sp. As Microbial Agent

Abstract

Xylitol, C5H12O5, is a white and odorless crystalline powder of sweetening agents that included as low-calorie sweetener. It could be used as a healthy ingredient for food and pharmaceutical. Natural sources of xylitol are fruit and vegetable, even in minute quantities. At industrial scale, xylitol is produced through hydrolysis and hydrogenation process of lignocellulosic materials. The aim of this research was to study the production of xylitol from corn biomass using Candida sp. as a microbial agent. The research was conducted using different species of Candida sp. (C. guilliermondii and C. tropicalis) and supplement media growth (with or without glucose). Xylitol concentration was examined after fermentation for 3 and 5 days. The results showed that corncob is a promising material to use in producing xylitol from lignocellulosic biomass. The longer fermentation time, the higher xylitol concentration, ranged from 0.049 to 0.088 g/L. However, compare to another microbe species, the treatment using Candida tropicalis showed that long fermentation resulted in a lower xylitol concentration. The addition of glucose as co-substrate increased xylose consumption rate and xylitol productivity. These results provide useful information to develop further study about xylitol production using agricultural biomass.