Optimization of lactic acid production from cheap raw material: Sugarcane molasses

Biotechnological process is advantageous over chemical one as we can utilize cheap raw materials as carbon source such as agro-industrial byproducts and can produce the pure lactic acid in a very economic way. Sugar cane molasses is available in many countries as byproduct of sucrose production, which can be used as substrate for lactic acid fermentation. Process variables were optimized for the production of lactic acid by Lactobacillus delbrueckii using food wastes as substrates. The productivity was found to be affected by fermentation time, temperature and the level of substrate. The maximum lactic acid production was achieved after 7 days of fermentation in media containing 18% substrate level with a mean value of 7.76±0.08 g/100 ml (77.6 g/l) at 42°C. The maximum recovery of lactic acid with respect to initial total sugar contents of the media (9.91±0.20 g/100 ml) was 78.30%.