The effect of acetic acid concentration on xylose-fermentation to xylitol by Candida guilliermondii FTI 20037 was evaluated in semisynthetic medium containing different concentrations of the acid. Increasing acetic acid concentration up to 1.0 g/l favored xylitol yield and productivity, with maximum values of 0.82 g/g and 0.57 g/l.h, respectively. The presence of acetic acid reduced cell production at all concentration. Furthermore, acetic acid was assimilated by the yeast together with the sugars and was depleted from the medium at concentrations of less than 3.0 g/l. The ability of this yeast to assimilate acetic acid suggests that these cells act as agents of medium detoxification. This behavior may lead to a viable microbiological process of xylitol production by C. guilliermondii FTI 20037 using xylose-rich lignocellulosic hydrolysates in which acetic acid is commonly present, causing inhibition of fermentative activity.

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