Bioconversion of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches into Lactic Acid via Lactobacillus acidophilus

Rahmath Abdulla and Eryati Derman and Sharmilah Balasubramaniam and Jualang Azlan Gansau and Anuj Kumar Chandel (2025) Bioconversion of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches into Lactic Acid via Lactobacillus acidophilus. Waste and Biomass Valorization. pp. 1-13. ISSN 1877-2641

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Abstract

The production of lactic acid (LA), a key precursor for poly-lactic acid (PLA) as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, is gaining significant industrial and environmental attention. This study evaluates the potential of utilizing oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFBs), an abundant lignocellulosic agro-industrial waste, for lactic acid production through fermentation. A separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) process was employed using Lactobacillus acidophilus A1 ATCC 4356, chosen for its ability to optimize enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation independently, thereby enhancing process efficiency. Fermentation conditions, including inoculum size, temperature and time, were systematically optimized to achieve maximum lactic acid yield. Under optimal conditions (35 °C, 10% (v/v) inoculum, 120 h), the process yielded 6.49 g/L of lactic acid, corresponding to an impressive 94% conversion efficiency. This high yield demonstrates the feasibility of EFBs as a low-cost, renewable feedstock for industrial-scale lactic acid production, reducing dependence on traditional sugar- or starch-based substrates. This study highlights the potential of SHF with L. acidophilus to transform agricultural residues into valuable biochemical, advancing the circular bioeconomy and waste valorization initiatives.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Lactic Acid, Bioconversion, Lactobacillus acidophilus
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General) > T1-995 Technology (General) T Technology > TP Chemical technology > TP1-1185 Chemical technology > TP248.13-248.65 Biotechnology
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Science and Natural Resources
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	19 Aug 2025 10:50
Last Modified:	19 Aug 2025 10:50
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/44993

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