title: Detoxification of Sap from Felled Oil Palm Trunks for the Efficient Production of Lactic Acid.
abstract: The availability of fermentable sugars in high concentrations in the sap of felled oil palm trunks and the thermophilic nature of the recently isolated Bacillus coagulans strain 191 were exploited for lactic acid production under non-sterile conditions. Screening indicated that strain 191 was active toward most sugars including sucrose, which is a major component of sap. Strain 191 catalyzed a moderate conversion of sap sugars to lactic acid (53%) with a productivity of 1.56 g/L/h. Pretreatment of oil palm sap (OPS) using alkaline precipitation improved the sugar fermentability, providing a lactic acid yield of 92% and productivity of 2.64 g/L/h. To better characterize potential inhibitors in the sap, phenolic, organic, and mineral compounds were analyzed using non-treated sap and saps treated with activated charcoal and alkaline precipitation. Phthalic acid, 3,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid, aconitic acid, syringic acid, and ferulic acid were reduced in the sap after treatment. High concentrations of Mg, P, K, and Ca were also precipitated by the alkaline treatment. These results suggest that elimination of excess phenolic and mineral compounds in OPS can improve the fermentation yield. OPS, a non-food resource that is readily available in bulk quantities from plantation sites, is a promising source for lactic acid production.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), P.O. Box 77, D/A Pejabat Pos Besar, 01000, Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia.|Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), 1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 303-8686, Japan.
authors.forename: Balakrishnan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kunasundari
authors.affiliation: Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), 1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 303-8686, Japan.
authors.forename: Takamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sudesh
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioresource, Paper and Coatings Technology, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Rokiah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hashim
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioresource, Paper and Coatings Technology, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Othman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sulaiman
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioresource, Paper and Coatings Technology, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Natra Joseph
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Stalin
authors.affiliation: Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), 1-1 Ohwashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 303-8686, Japan. akosugi@affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kosugi
mesh_terms: D028023:Arecaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D001407:Bacillus / Q000254:growth & development*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid; D013395:Sucrose
keywords: Bacillus coagulans; Fermentation inhibitors; Lactic acid; Oil palm trunk; Pretreatment; Sap