Microbial transformation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol by saccharomyces cerevisiae

Biotransformation of furfural by Saccharomyces cerevisiae 354 was performed in a sugar cane molasses medium containing salts. The furfural added was rapidly reduced to furfuryl alcohol until a final addition of 3%, without inhibition in the cells growth. An efficient conversion of 96% was obtained by feeding 6 g · l−1 every 6 hours.