DOI: 10.1094/CC-82-0554 |  VIEW ARTICLE

Ethanol Fermentation of Starch from Field Peas.

Nancy N. Nichols (1,2), Bruce S. Dien (1), Y. Victor Wu (3), and Michael A. Cotta (1). (1) Fermentation Biotechnology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, ARS-USDA, Peoria, IL 61604. Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product, and the use of the name by the USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable. (2) Corresponding author. Phone: 309-681-6271. E-mail: <nicholnn@ncaur.usda.gov> (3) New Crops and Processing Technology Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, ARS-USDA, Peoria, IL 61604. Cereal Chem. 82(5):554-558. Accepted May 11, 2005. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. AACC International, Inc., 2005.

Field peas (Pisum sativum) were evaluated as a potential feedstock for ethanol production. Ground peas were dry-milled and separated into starch, protein, and fibrous fractions by air classification. Starch-enriched fractions prepared from whole peas and dehulled peas contained 73.7% wt and 77.8% wt starch, respectively, a nearly two-fold enrichment compared with whole peas. The fractions were liquefied and saccharified using industrial alpha-amylase and glucoamylase at recommended enzyme loadings. A final ethanol concentration of 11.0% (w/v) was obtained in 48–52 hr, with yields of 0.43–0.48 g of ethanol/g of glucose. Starch present in whole ground peas was also saccharified and fermented, with 97% of the starch fermented when an autoclaving step was included in the liquefaction stage.