Alcohol production in submerged cashew pomace

Abstract

The variations in the total titratable acidity, hydrogen ion concentration, reducing sugar, soluble solids and alcohol contents of the supernatant of the submerged cashew pomace in a non-aseptic condition were investigated. The crude fibre content of the pomace was also determined during fermentation. At intervals, the changes in microbial load in both the pomace and its supernatant were examined during the 14-day study. Fifty four percent of the total soluble solids (TSS) was utilised within 7 days of degradation while an increase of about 91% in the total titratable acidity occurred in the cashew pomace within the same period bringing its pH to 3.24. Acid hydrolysis of the pomace accounted for the relative high value of 2.15% TSS on the 8th day. Isolates of the genera Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Aspergillus, Rhizopus and some yeast strains were obtained from the fresh pomace. The fungal colonies constituted about 76% of the population in the cashew pomace. The 86% drop in microbial population of the 8th day biodegraded pomace could be attributed to a decrease in nutrients of the substrate and the inhibitory effect of the organic acids produced during fermentation.

In vitro Antibacterial Activity of Aqueous Extracts of Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) Fruit Peels Using Bioautography Method

“…The zone of inhibition was estimated as the area (πr 2 , where r = radius) not covered by any growth of the seeded test organisms on the developed chromatogram incubated at 37ºC for 18 h. An average of many radii of the inhibition zone was taken.…”

“…It produces a pseudocarp on which the nut is attached. Apart from the nut, the primary product from the plant, other parts of the plants such as the pomace serve different purposes to man [1][2][3][4][5] and livestock [6][7][8][9]. Different parts and bi-products of the cashew plant e.g.…”