Isolation of a Peniophora Strain Capable of Producing Ethanol from Starch and Kitchen Waste

Abstract

A white rot basidomycete identified as Peniophora sp. produced ethanol from glucose, mannose, cellobiose, and maltose with yields ranging from 0.37 to 0.41 g-1 ethanol consumed sugar. Peniophora sp. was also capable of directly fermenting various types of starches, including soluble, corn, potato, and wheat starches, at a yield of 0.39 to 0.41 g-1 ethanol added starch. The fungus also directly converted untreated kitchen waste to ethanol at 73% of the theoretical yield in the absence of externally added enzymes or nitrogen. Our findings indicate that Peniophora sp. efficiently hydrolyzes biomass to fermentable sugars, which are then directly converted to ethanol. The metabolic properties of this fungus may permit cost-effective and environmental friendly bioethanol production from various starting materials, including kitchen waste.