Abstract

Alcohol was produced from cassava flour hydrolysate (CFH) with standard glucose and sucrose solutions used as controls. The conversion efficiency of sugar to alcohol, rate of fermentation and types of alcohol produced were determined. The effects of yeast concentrations (5, 15 and 20%) and fermentation time (24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h) on yield of alcohol from CFH were also studied. Results showed that the maximum carbon dioxide evolved during fermentation was 8.57 g recorded by CFH. The conversion efficiency of sugars to alcohol was 248.4, 99.51 and 95.37% for CFH, standard glucose and sucrose solutions respectively. Alcohol produced was mostly ethanol with traces of methanol. Yeast concentrations were found not to have any significant effect (p > 0.05) on the alcohol yield,  however, fermentation time was found to have had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on alcohol yield. The study suggests that high yield of alcohol could be produced from CFH.

Key words: Alcohol, cassava flour hydrolysate, fermentation and yield.