Evaluation of xylitol production from corn cob hemicellulose hydrolysate by Candida parapsilosis

Abstract

Candida parapsilosis was grown for 59 h in a medium containing corn cob hydrolysate consisting of 50 g xylose l(-1), 3.0 g glucose l(-1), 2.0 g arabinose l(-1), and 0.9 g acetic acid l(-1). A biomass of 9.1 g l(-1) was produced with 36 g xylitol l(-1) and 2.5 g ethanol l(-1). In a medium containing 50 g xylose l(-1) instead of corn cob hydrolysate, the concentrations of cells, xylitol, and ethanol were 8.6 g l(-1), 33 g l(-1), and 0.2 g l(-1), respectively. The differences between two cultures were due to the glucose and arabinose in the corn cob hydrolysate stimulating growth and the low concentration of acetic acid stimulating xylitol production.