Abstract:
Volatile compounds with fruity characteristics were produced by Ceratocystis-fimbriata in two different bioreactors: columns (laboratory scale) and horizontal drum (semi-pilot scale). Coffee husk was used as substrate for the production of volatile compounds by solid-state fermentation. The production of volatile Compounds was significantly higher when horizontal drum bioreactor was used than when column bioreactors were used. These results showed that this model of bioreactor presents good perspectives for scale-up and application in an industrial production. Headspace analysis of the solid-state culture detected twelve compounds, among them: ethanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, ethyl propionate, and isoamyl acetate. Ethyl acetate was the predominant product in the headspace (28.55 mu mol/L/g of initial dry matter). Activated carbon, Tenax-TA, and Amberlite XAD-2 were tested to perform the recovery of the compounds. The adsorbent columns were connected to the column-type bioreactor. All compounds present in the headspace of the columns were adsorbed in Amberlite XAD-2. With Tenax-TA, acetaldehyde was adsorbed in higher concentrations. However, the recovery found by using the activated carbon was very low.
