ABSTRACT

Ethanol and microbial biomass were produced from mixed fruit peels (banana, pineapple, paw-paw, orange and water melon) using palm wine yeasts. These peels were washed, dried and ground into powder, before being used for fermentation by inoculating the substrate with palm wine yeasts for 11 days. Initially the sugar (brix) content of the mixed fruit peels powder was found to be 6.2% before it was optimized to 20.63% in a submerged fermentation jar and then inoculated with the yeasts isolated from palm wine; and allowed to ferment for 11 days. The fermentation profile showed that the pH decreased from 6.10 to 2.60. Total solid decrease from 18.66% to 4.67%, specific gravity decrease from 1.16 to 1.08 and sugar reduce from 20.63% to 1.75% in contrast, titratable acidity increased from 0.52% to 2.03% biomass grow from 0.67g/l and ethanol increase from 0.55% to 8.96% as the fruit yield. It was observed that there is possibility of increasing the biomass and ethanol yield if proper fermentation environment is created. However the peels demonstrated potentials as good sources of both biomass and ethanol. This will be useful in converting waste (mixed fruits peels) lettered in the environment into useful products (Alcohol and single cell protein from biomass).