Enzymatic production of galactooligosaccharides by beta-galactosidase from Bifidobacterium longum BCRC 15708

The production of galactooligosaccharides (GOSs) by transgalactosylation using beta-galactosidase from Bifidobacterium longum BCRC 15708 was studied. Other than lactose, galactose, and glucose, two types of GOSs, tri- and tetrasaccharides, were formed after beta-galactosidase action on 40% lactose. Trisaccharides were the major type of GOS formed. Generally, an increase of the initial lactose concentration in the reaction mixture resulted in a higher GOS production. A maximum yield of 32.5% (w/w) GOSs could be achieved from 40% lactose solution at 45 degrees C, pH 6.8, when the lactose conversion was 59.4%. The corresponding productivity of GOSs was 13.0 g/(L.h). Transgalactosylation activity of beta-galactosidase from a test organism showed a relatively lower sensitivity toward glucose and galactose than that from other organisms. The addition of 5% or 10% glucose or galactose to the reaction mixture did not significantly (p>0.05) reduce the transgalactosylation reaction of beta-galactosidase.     

The Effect of Severe Drought on the Evolution of Urban and Manure Wastes in an Agricultural Soil in Mediterranean Ecosystems

In semi‐arid Mediterranean soils, water availability is the most limiting factor, negatively affecting the organic matter (OM) degradation. The aim of this work is to study under controlled laboratory conditions how three sources of OM [municipal solid waste (MSW), sheep manure (SM) and cow manure (CM)] behave when they are applied to an agricultural soil subjected to a severe year‐long drought. In order to apply the same concentration of OM to the soil (16·92 Mg OM ha⁻¹), 2 kg of soil was mixed with 30, 67·41 and 55·25 Mg ha⁻¹ (dry matter) of MSW, CM and SM, respectively. Two levels of irrigation were employed: (i) watered soils and (ii) non‐watered soils. Soil's chemical properties [water soluble carbon (WSC), humic acids, fulvic acids and protein mass distribution], biological properties (soil microbial biomass carbon and o‐diphenoloxidase activity) and solid‐state ¹³C cross‐polarisation magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were determined. In watered soils, the soil microbial biomass carbon was higher in the SM than in CM and MSW treatments (9·9% and 23·1%, respectively). The WSC was significantly higher in SM than in CM (55·7%) and MSW (78·7%) treatments. A decrease in the content of O‐alkyl C and an increase in alkyl C, aromatic C and carboxyl C were observed. In non‐watered soils, the biochemical properties and alkyl C and alkyl/O‐alkyl ratio decreased, whereas WSC content and O‐alkyl C increased. These results indicated that the evolution of OM and the activity of the microbial community in non‐watered soils were very different to those in the watered soils. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Capillary Electrophoresis as a Tool for Evaluating Lactic Acid Production from Sorghum

Sorghum is an underutilized resource for the production of bioindustrial chemicals like lactic acid. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was tested to monitor the fermentation process, i.e., quantify the amount of lactic acid and by‐products in the fermentation broth using phosphate buffer pH 6.25 containing the electroosmotic flow modifier cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). High levels of calcium carbonate were required during fermentation to stabilize the pH and these caused considerably prolonged migration times in CE. A 1:10 dilution of the samples with water was the best way to reduce salt load and thus conductivity in the sample plug, and thus to eliminate the problem of prolonged migration times. Further improvements were achieved by rinsing the capillary with HCl and water after each run, rather than NaOH and water. HCl might more efficiently remove Ca²⁺ ions from the capillary surface. The fermentation broth studied was based on liquefied sorghum inoculated with Rhizopus oryzae. The main product was lactic acid (24.60 ± 0.56 g/L) and a significant by‐product was fumaric acid (1.07 ± 0.04 g/L).     

Chemical Composition and Antinutritional Factors of Field Peas (Pisum sativum), Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum), and Faba Beans (Vicia faba) as Affected by Extrusion Preconditioning and Drying Temperatures

Legumes are valuable plant sources of protein and energy and extrusion is one of the most common processing methods for manufacturing both human food and animal feeds. In the present study, three different legumes (field peas, chickpeas, and faba beans) were ground and processed in a pilot‐scale extrusion line. Various preconditioning and dryer temperatures were applied to each legume separately that reflected or differed from standard manufacturing conditions. Although literature exists regarding the effects of extrusion temperature and moisture on legume antinutrients, no data are available on the respective effects of preconditioning and drying. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of processing on both nutritional and antinutritional factors for each processing combination. Proximate composition, starch, oligosaccharides, total nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), soluble (S‐NSP), and insoluble (I‐NSP) levels were evaluated. The antinutritional factors phytic acid, tannins, and trypsin inhibitors were also determined. Chickpea and field pea NSP values were not drastically affected by processing, while for most processing conditions, total NSP, S‐NSP, and I‐NSP were slightly reduced in faba beans. Preconditioning before extrusion processing generally improved the nutritional value of the ingredients by significantly reducing trypsin inhibitor level. Phytate and total tannin levels were greatly reduced irrespective of the preconditioning and drying treatment. Wet preconditioning can be used in combination with extrusion to improve the nutritional value of legumes, while drying at 90–150°C does not significantly further reduce antinutritional factor levels.     

Impacts of Kafirin Allelic Diversity,Starch Content,and Protein Digestibility on Ethanol Conversion Efficiency in Grain Sorghum

Seed protein and starch composition determine the efficiency of the fermentation process in the production of grain‐based ethanol. Sorghum, a highly water‐ and nutrient‐efficient plant, provides an alternative to fuel crops with greater irrigation and fertilizer requirements, such as maize. However, sorghum grain is generally less digestible because of extensive disulfide cross‐linking among sulfur‐rich storage proteins in the protein– starch matrix. Thus, the fine structure and composition of the seed endosperm directly impact grain end use, including fermentation performance. To test the hypothesis that kafirin (prolamin) seed storage proteins specifically influence the efficiency of ethanol production from sorghum, 10 diverse genetic lines with allelic variation in the β‐, γ‐, and (δ‐kafirins, including three β‐kafirin null mutants, were tested for ethanol yield and fermentation efficiency. Our selected lines showed wide variation in grain biochemical features, including total protein (9.96–16.47%), starch (65.52–74.29%), and free amino nitrogen (FAN) (32.84–73.51 mg/L). Total ethanol yield (ranging from 384 to 426 L/metric ton), was positively correlated to starch content (R² = 0.74), and there was a slight positive correlation between protein digestibility and ethanol yield (R² = 0.52). Increases in FAN content enhanced fermentation efficiency (R² = 0.65). The highest ethanol producer was elite staygreen breeding line B923296, and the line with the highest fermentation efficiency at the 72 h time point was inbred BT×623. A large‐seeded genotype, KS115, carrying a novel γ‐kafirin allele, was rich in FAN and exhibited excellent short‐term fermentation efficiency at 85.68% at the 20 h time point. However, the overall ethanol yield from this line was comparatively low at 384 L/metric ton, because of insufficient starch, low digestibility, and high crude protein. Multivariate analysis indicated an association between the β‐kafirin allele and variation in grain digestibility (P = 0.042) and FAN (P = 0.036), with subsequent effects on ethanol yield. Reversed‐phase HPLC profiling of the alcohol‐soluble kafirin protein fraction revealed diversity in protein content and composition across the lines, with similarities in peak distribution profiles among β‐kafirin null mutants compared with normal lines.     

Fate of Bt Protein and Influence of Corn Hybrid on Ethanol Production

Corn hybrids were compared to determine the fate of recombinant Bt protein (CRY1Ab from Bacillus thuringiensis) in coproducts from dry grind and wet‐milled corn during production of fuel ethanol. Two pairs of Bt and non‐Bt hybrids were wet milled, and each fraction was examined for the presence of the Bt protein. Bt protein was found in the germ, gluten, and fiber fractions of Bt hybrids. In addition, one set of Bt and non‐Bt hybrids were treated by the dry‐grind ethanol process and Bt protein was monitored during each step of the process. The Bt protein was not detected after liquefaction. Subsequent experiments determined that the Bt protein is rapidly denatured at liquefaction temperatures. Finally, five hybrids were compared for ethanol yield after dry grinding. Analysis of fermentation data with an F‐test revealed the percent of total starch available for conversion into ethanol varied significantly among the hybrids (P < 0.002), indicating ethanol yield is not exclusively dependent on starch content. No difference, however, was observed between Bt and non‐Bt corn hybrids for either ethanol productivity or yield.     

Optimum Steeping Process for Wet Milling of Sorghum

Pioneer 8500, a red hard sorghum hybrid, was steeped batchwise using three steeping solutions at 50°C: SO₂ solution; SO₂ solution containing 1.25% (w/w) of a commercial multiple‐enzyme preparation (Novo SP249); and SO₂ solution with the addition of 0.5% (w/w) lactic acid. Novo SP249 contained pectolytic, cellulolytic, hemicellulolytic, and proteolytic activities and small amounts of saccharolytic activities. Three SO₂ concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% w/v) prepared by dissolving sodium bisulfite in distilled water and three steeping times (24, 36, and 48 hr) were used. Incorporation of multiple enzymes into the SO₂ resulted in an increase in starch yield with reduced protein content compared with the SO₂ solution alone. The best wet‐milling performance for sorghum resulted from the SO₂ solution containing 0.5% lactic acid; it produced the whitest starch with the highest yield and the lowest protein content. Both higher SO₂ concentration of the steeping solution and longer steeping time led to higher starch yield, lower protein content in starch, and whiter starch. However, no significant differences in starch yield, protein content in starch, and starch color occurred between SO₂ concentrations of 0.2 and 0.3% for all three steeping solutions. The optimum steeping process for wet milling of sorghum was using a 0.2% SO₂ solution with 0.5% lactic acid for 36 hr at 50°C. Under these conditions, the starch yield, protein content in starch, and L value of starch color were 60.2% (db), 0.49% (db), and 92.7, respectively, which were not significantly different from the best values from the 48‐hr steeping using the solution with 0.3% SO₂ and 0.5% lactic acid.     

Ethanol Production from Pearl Millet Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Four pearl millet genotypes were tested for their potential as raw material for fuel ethanol production in this study. Ethanol fermentation was performed both in flasks on a rotary shaker and in a 5‐L bioreactor using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 24860). For rotary‐shaker fermentation, the final ethanol yields were 8.7–16.8% (v/v) at dry mass concentrations of 20–35%, and the ethanol fermentation efficiencies were 90.0–95.6%. Ethanol fermentation efficiency at 30% dry mass on a 5‐L bioreactor reached 94.2%, which was greater than that from fermentation in the rotary shaker (92.9%). Results showed that the fermentation efficiencies of pearl millets, on a starch basis, were comparable to those of corn and grain sorghum. Because pearl millets have greater protein and lipid contents, distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) from pearl millets also had greater protein content and energy levels than did DDGS from corn and grain sorghum. Therefore, pearl millets could be a potential feedstock for fuel ethanol production in areas too dry to grow corn and grain sorghum.     

Enhancement of Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Brown Rice Flour Through Solid‐State Yeast Fermentation

This study investigated the effect of solid‐state yeast fermentation on the nutritional and antioxidant properties of brown rice flour (BRF). Three brands of commercial baker's yeast (Eagle, Saf‐levure, and Mauripan) were used to ferment BRF at 25°C for 12 h. There were significant increases in protein, ash, insoluble and soluble fiber, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and iron contents after yeast fermentation. Fermented BRF with Eagle yeast possessed the highest contents of protein, ash, zinc, and calcium. Fermentation of BRF with Eagle yeast was more effective in increasing antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents from 1.01 to 1.54 mmol of Trolox equivalents per gram and from 1.09 to 1.21 mg of gallic acid equivalents per gram, respectively. Yeast fermentation reduced phytic acid content of BRF (124.59 ± 0.48 µg/g), and the Eagle yeast‐fermented sample had the lowest value (36.55 µg/g) compared with the other fermented samples. Fermented flour with Eagle yeast also had the highest α‐amylase activity, because it recorded the lowest stirring number. Solid‐state fermentation with commercial yeast, particularly Eagle yeast, was effective in improving the nutritional and antioxidant properties of underutilized BRF as a food ingredient.     

The Effect of Bioprocessing on the Phenolic Acid Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Wheat Bran

In the present study, bioprocessing with eight microbial strains including Bacillus species, yeasts, and filamentous fungi was evaluated for its potential to improve the phenolic acid composition and antioxidant activity of wheat bran. The soluble free and soluble conjugated fractions of ethanolic extracts of the treated bran samples were compared for their total phenolic contents, phenolic acid composition, and in vitro antioxidant activities. In general, total phenolic content in the soluble free fraction increased significantly, accounting for 241.11 ± 1.25 μg of gallic acid equivalents (GE)/g (Rhizopus oryzae), 230.50 ± 1.05 μg of GE/g (Mucor circinelloides), and 230.19 ± 1.02 μg of GE/g (Saccharomycopsis fibuligera). The phenolic acid composition, especially of the soluble free fraction, was improved most by S. fibuligera (hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic, and trans‐ferulic acids), M. circinelloides (chlorogenic acid), and R. oryzae (protocatechuic, trans‐coumaric, and benzoic acids). Comparatively, bioprocessing exhibited less effectiveness on conjugated phenolic acid composition. Fermented wheat bran displayed enhanced reducing capacity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity in comparison with the nonfermented sample. The antioxidant activity was significantly correlated to the total phenolic content.     

Mn2+对白腐菌发酵油菜秸秆木质纤维素酶活性及组织结构的影响

白腐菌对木质素有很强的降解能力。本研究选择白腐菌(Pleurotus ostreatu)WY01于限氮培养基添加不同水平Mn2+固态发酵油菜(Brassica campestris L.)秸秆,实验分为对照组(SMc)、实验1组(SM1)和实验2组(SM2)(Mn2+浓度分别为0、0.6和1.2mmol/L),于28℃恒温培养,静止发酵40d。结果表明,漆酶(Lacs)和锰依过氧化物酶(MnPs)活性SM1极显著高于其它两组(P<0.01),峰值分别在第6天211.11U/g和第10天49U/g;Mn2+对木质素过氧化物酶(Lips)、纤维素酶(Cels)和半纤维素酶(Hcels)活性没有影响,且秸秆组织结构变化与相关纤维素酶活性具有一致性。电镜扫描显示,未经任何处理的油菜秸秆组织结构十分致密,细胞组织排列有序,经白腐菌WY01处理,第20天SMc油菜秸秆原来致密有序的组织遭到破坏,部分出现疏松的网状,SM1第20天油菜秸秆组织遭到破坏且局部出现坍塌现象,第40天纤维组织完全分解并粉化;SM2第20天秸秆组织也遭到不同程度的破坏,第40天纤维组织完全分解,但效果不及SM1。综合生物降解效果SM1>SM2>SMc。结果提示:Mn2+能够诱导并有利于白腐菌WY01对油菜秸秆的降解。本研究为油菜秸秆开发生物饲料提供依据。     

Cross‐Linking of Wheat Gluten Using a Water‐Soluble Carbodiimide

Wheat gluten was cross‐linked using water‐soluble 1‐ethyl‐3‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide HCl (EDC). To enhance cross‐linking, N‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) was added to the reaction mixture. The cross‐linking efficiency was evaluated by the decrease in the amount of amino groups, the solubility of the protein in aqueous solutions with different pH levels, and by the change in the molecular weight distribution of the cross‐linked compounds. Cross‐linking was dependent on the reaction time, the molar ratio of added reactants, and the pH level of the reaction mixture. If the reaction was carried out at pH 3, no decrease in the amount of amino groups or solubility was observed. At pH 5–7, the amount of amino groups decreased from 15 to 10 mmol/100 g of protein. This was accompanied by a large decrease in the water solubility of the protein (<10%, w/v). Finally, reaction at pH 11 decreased the amount of amino groups from 15 to 8 mmol/100 g of protein. However, hardly any decrease in the water solubility was observed. Based on these results and SDS‐PAGE experiments, two cross‐link mechanisms are suggested: one resulting in inter‐ and the other resulting in intramolecular cross‐links.     

Fermentation of Colored Quinoa Seeds with Neurospora intermedia to Obtain Oncom‐Type Products of Favorable Nutritional and Bioactive Characteristics

In this research, colored quinoa seeds were subjected to a modified oncom‐type processing (precooking followed by solid‐state fermentation with Neurospora intermedia ) to obtain convenient food products of improved parameters. Compared with the raw material, the products contained a higher level of protein (on average by 44%, with an advantageous essential amino acid profile) and fiber (by 71%) but a lower amount of inositol phosphates (by 50%, with an increased share of InsP₃ fraction in the profile). Fermented quinoa was enriched in carotenoids (6.5‐fold) and riboflavin (fivefold). The antioxidant potential of oncom was also improved in respect to antiradical activity (on average by 39%) and reducing power. Of the red and black quinoa, the former substrate was processed into a product of better quality, containing a higher level of protein (214 g/kg dry matter [DM]), fiber (234 g/kg DM), carotenoids (81 mg/kg DM), and riboflavin (8 mg/kg DM), as well as antiradical activity (IC₅₀ in ABTS^⋅+ and DPPH^⋅ assay of 0.4 and 3 mg DM, respectively). This was associated with a 50% higher level of fungal glucosamine in this oncom. Therefore, the activity of N. intermedia can be considered beneficial for biotreatment of quinoa seeds.     

Oil Binding of Heat‐Treated Waxy Wheat Starch Granules and Starch Granule Ghosts Produced with Concentrated KI and I2

Dry waxy wheat starch granules were heat‐treated at 120°C for 5 hr, and then shaken vigorously in a biphasic system of oil and water. Non‐heat‐ treated starch remained in the aqueous phase, whereas the heat‐treated starch granules showed a strong oil‐binding ability that was lost by trypsin treatment. This result showed that the starch granule surface protein changed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic due to the heat treatment. The presence of starch granule surface protein was ascertained by staining with fluorescamine and fluorescence microscopic observation. Heat‐treated waxy wheat starch granules were incubated with a 25% KI/10% I₂ (w/v) solution, which produced “ghosts” (exterior and interior) structures. The exteriors stained red‐brown, whereas the interiors stained black‐brown. Sonication (20 kHz for 255 sec) followed by centrifugation separated the structures, which were then shaken vigorously in an oil and water system. Only the exterior ghosts exhibited a remarkable emulsification property, which disappeared after trypsin treatment. The ghosts from unheated control granules did not show emulsification. The presence of protein in the exterior ghost fraction was further substantiated by fluorescamine treatment. No protein was detectable in the interior fraction with this dye. From these results, we suggest that the ghost fraction of the waxy wheat starch contained the starch granule surface protein that was made hydrophobic by heat treatment. Also, the nature of the induced emulsification property of the exterior fraction (ghosts) and the oil‐binding ability of the heat‐treated waxy wheat starch granules coincided. Both were due to the hydrophobic nature of the same starch granule surface protein, which showed that the ghosts were the swollen form of the outer region of the waxy starch granule.     

Chemical Composition and Starch Hydrolysis of Acacia colei and Acacia tumida Seeds

Acacia seed is a promising famine food due to its ability to thrive in dry zones of the world. In this study, some chemical compounds of nutritional importance as well as starch hydrolysis in three cultivars of Acacia tumida and A. colei were determined. The crude protein was 20.6–23.0%, while extractable protein was 11.5–17.5%. Total dietary fiber (TDF) (28.5–32.7%) and soluble dietary fiber (SDF) (2.2–5.8%) were higher than values reported for most legumes. Reducing sugar range was 31.0–54.5 mg/g, while total sugar range was 137–161 mg/g. The starch content of the seed was 25.6–32.3%. The samples did not contain any alkaloid but did contain saponins. Phytate and trypsin inhibitor contents were low; oxalate was fairly high (2.2–2.6 g/100 g), but tannin was on the high side 66.0–86.7 mg/g) compared with legumes. In vitro starch digestibility was highest in A. tumida (III). Using a first‐order kinetic equation, A. colei showed the highest initial rate of starch hydrolysis (t_1/2 = 411.56 and 1,893.4 min), followed by A. tumida (III) (539.25 and 1,738.1 min); the lowest vales were for A. tumida (II) (1,764.99 and 4,249.8 min) for both methods of starch digestion.     

Evaluation of Nebraska Waxy Sorghum Hybrids for Ethanol Production

To evaluate the ethanol production performance of waxy sorghum hybrids and the effects of location and harvest year on ethanol yield, samples of four waxy sorghum hybrids collected from two Nebraska locations (Mead and Lincoln) in both 2009 and 2010 were tested for ethanol production in a dry‐grind process. No significant difference (P = 0.216) in starch contents was observed among the four hybrids, but starch contents of the hybrids were significantly affected by growth location (P = 0.0001) and harvest year (P = 0.0258). Location, hybrid, and harvest year all had significant effects on ethanol fermentation efficiency in the dry‐grind process. Lincoln sorghum samples showed higher (P = 0.022) ethanol fermentation efficiency (90.4%) than did Mead sorghum samples (90.0%). Sorghums harvested in 2010 had higher (P < 0.001) ethanol fermentation efficiency (91.1%) than those harvested in 2009 (89.3%). The 2009 sorghum flours had more amylose‐lipid complexes than the 2010 samples did, and amylose‐lipid complexes as previously reported had adverse effects on ethanol fermentation. Residual starch contents in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) were significantly affected by hybrid and harvest year (P < 0.0001), but we observed no difference in protein content in DDGS from the four hybrids.     

甘薯渣同步糖化发酵生产酒精的工艺优化

为了综合利用甘薯淀粉工业废渣,本研究以甘薯渣为原料发酵生产酒精,并对其同步糖化发酵工艺(SSF)进行优化。研究同步糖化发酵时影响酒精发酵工艺的9个因素,采用Plackett-Burman试验设计筛选出显著因素,并在筛选结果的基础上,用最陡爬坡途径逼近最大响应区域,然后利用响应面分析法确定其最佳参数。结果表明,影响酒精发酵工艺的显著因素为糖化酶、接种量和发酵温度。酒精发酵优化最佳参数为:α-淀粉酶8U/g,液化时间1.5h,液化温度90℃,硫酸铵质量分数0.15g/100g,pH值4,发酵时间36h,糖化酶151U/g,接种量0.3%,发酵温度36℃。在此条件下,验证试验得到的酒精体积分数达到17.15%,接近理论预测值16.95%。优化后的工艺可为甘薯渣同步糖化发酵生产酒精提供技术参考。     

Effect of earthworm activity (Aporrectodea giardi) on atrazine adsorption and biodegradation

We investigated the influence of earthworm (Aporrectodea giardi) activity on soil properties and on atrazine (AT) adsorption and biodegradation by comparing a coarse‐textured smectite‐free wetland soil (Brittany, France) with the earthworm casts derived from the top horizon of this soil. Casts are characterized by lower pH, are enriched in organic carbon (OC) and clay content, have a larger cation exchange capacity, and a greater exchangeable Ca content. The clay mineralogy of the soil studied and casts is characterized by a muscovite–kaolinite–chlorite association. In addition, the clay fraction of the soil contains lepidocrocite (γ‐FeOOH), which was not found in the casts. Atrazine adsorption isotherms were reasonably well described by the Freundlich equation and were all non‐linear. The mean amounts of adsorbed AT for starting concentrations of 3–30 mg litre^?1 ranged from 8 to 34%, being largest in earthworm casts. Soil AT adsorption capacity was well correlated with OC content. Non‐decomposed organic matter present in the coarse size fractions and specific compounds present in earthworm casts (proteins, mono‐ and polysaccharides, polyphenols, sugars, lignin) and microbial and fungal biomass contribute to AT adsorption. Weak electrostatic (physical) sorption of AT on organic compounds and on mineral surfaces prevails. For casts, the formation of additional hydrophobic interactions between AT and SOM is proposed. We also studied AT biodegradation by the model bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP in the presence of soils or earthworm casts. An enhancement of the AT disappearance rate was observed in the presence of all the solid matrices tested compared with that obtained in an aqueous medium. The biodegradation rate was shown to be dependent not only on the OC content of the solid matrix, but mainly on its composition and structure.     

Evaluation of Waxy Grain Sorghum for Ethanol Production

The objective of this research was to investigate the fermentation performance of waxy grain sorghum for ethanol production. Twenty‐five waxy grain sorghum varieties were evaluated with a laboratory dry‐grind procedure. Total starch and amylose contents were measured following colorimetric procedures. Total starch and amylose contents ranged from 65.4 to 76.3% and from 5.5 to 7.3%, respectively. Fermentation efficiencies were in the range of 86.0–92.2%, corresponding to ethanol yields of 2.61–3.03 gallons/bushel. The advantages of using waxy sorghums for ethanol production include easier gelatinization and low viscosity during liquefaction, higher starch and protein digestibility, higher free amino nitrogen (FAN) content, and shorter fermentation times. The results showed a strong linear relationship between FAN content and fermentation rate. Fermentation rate increased as FAN content increased, especially during the first 30 hr of fermentation (R² = 0.90). Total starch content in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was less than 1% for all waxy varieties.