SYNTHESIS L-LACTIC ACID FROM FERMENTATION OF CASSAVA PULP BY USING TEMPEH INOCULUM

SYNTHESIS L-LACTIC ACID FROM FERMENTATION OF CASSAVA PULP BY USING TEMPEH INOCULUM. This study used cassava waste pulp as a fermentation substrate to produce lactic acid using a tempeh inoculum. Tempeh inoculum is a mixed culture of Rhizopus with Rhizopus oligosporus as the primary fungus. Lactic acid is an organic acid most widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and chemical industries. One of the important uses of lactic acid is as a raw material for producing Polylactic Acid (PLA) biopolymers, namely polymers that can decompose naturally in a relatively fast time. The analysis was performed using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) method and the Box Behnken Design (BBD) experimental design with substrate concentration parameters, inoculum concentration, and incubation time on lactic acid. The fermentation process is carried out using a flask shaker at a temperature of 30 ºC, pH 6.0, and a rotational speed of 150 rpm. The optimum yield for lactic acid is 6.65 g/L. It was acquired at substrate 20 g/L, inoculum concentration 0.30 % (w/v) at an incubation time of 72 hours.