Enhancing Waste Management by Utilizing Pineapple Waste via Fermentation for Ethanol Production

Abstract

This study investigates the use of pineapple peel waste (Ananas comosus L. Merr), as a substrate for fermentation-based ethanol production. The samples are pretreated, employed for acidic hydrolysis, and fermented under different temperatures and pH conditions. Total reducing sugar (TRS) and ethanol content are determined. The results show that the TRS concentration decreases from 1817 ± 28.87 to 777 ± 25.17 µg mL−1 during 0–168 h, indicating sugar consumption during fermentation. The ethanol concentration is 6.6% ± 0.2% and optimal ethanol production is at 25 °C with pH 6. These findings suggest that controlled fermentation of pineapple peel waste can be a viable technique for ethanol production, contributing to improved waste management and the development of alternate energy resources.