The promotion of molasse alcoholic fermentation usingSaccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of γ-alumina

Using γ-alumina pellets, more than threefold increase of the ethanol productivity in the fermentation molasse has been obtained in the present work. Also, molasse fermentation in the presence of γ-alumina gave 78.4 g/L ethanol, ethanol yield factor 0.44 g/g, and conversion 89.4% at initial sugar concentration (ISC) 179.5 g/L, compared to 53.9 g/L, 0.30 g/g and 62.7% in its absence, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that γ-alumina reduces the activation energy Ea of fermentation. This inorganic material does not promote the fermentation of raisin extract.