Abstract
Liquefaction enzymes are often used during fermentation of fruit mashes to improve the yield of ethanol and the ability to pump the mash. The liquefaction enzymes hydrolyze pectin, but in addition to the desired pectin hydrolysis activity, the enzymes also have pectinesterase activity which hydrolyzes the methyl ester in pectin resulting in methanol formation. Fermentations of various apple varieties and Bartlett pears were conducted using liquefaction enzymes. The resulting distilled products contained concentrations of methanol above the legal limit of 280 mg/100 mL of 40% ethanol, with the observed methanol concentrations in a range between 320 and 656 mg/100 mL of 40% ethanol. In contrast to the undesired increase in methanol concentration, the enzymes provide only a marginal increase in ethanol yield. The results indicate that liquefaction enzymes should be used with caution for pomace fruit and that methanol monitoring should be implemented if these enzymes are used for commercial products.
Acknowledgments: This work was funded by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station through Project GREEEN. Enzymes were donated by Erbslöh Geisenheim.
- Copyright 2004 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture
Sign in for ASEV members
ASEV Members, please sign in at ASEV to access the journal online.
Sign in for Institutional and Non-member Subscribers
Log in using your username and password
Pay Per Article - You may access this article (from the computer you are currently using) for 2 day for US$10.00
Regain Access - You can regain access to a recent Pay per Article purchase if your access period has not yet expired.