title: Amylolysis of raw corn by Aspergillus niger for simultaneous ethanol fermentation.
abstract: The novelty of this approach was hydrolysis of the raw starch in ground corn to fermentable sugars that are simultaneously fermented to ethanol by yeast in a non-sterile environment. Thus, the conventional cooking step can be eliminated for energy conservation. A koji of Aspergillus niger grown on whole corn for 3 days was the crude enzyme source. A ratio of 0.2 g dry koji/g total solids was found sufficient. Optimum pH was 4.2. Ethanol concentration was 7.7% (w/w) in the aqueous phase with 92% raw starch conversion. Agitation increased rate. Sacharification was the rate-limiting step. The initial ethanol concentration preventing fermentation was estimated to be 8.3% by weight.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Food Science and Agricultural Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801.
authors.forename: I Y
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Steinberg