Low-temperature processing of wheat for bioethanol production: Part I. Studies on the use of commercial enzymes

The uncertainty of fossil fuel reserves, volatility of oil prices, and increasing release of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the environment have led to a growing interest in the production of fuel ethanol. Research on bioethanol production has focused on all phases of the process, from raw materials to by-product recovery, and is directed toward improving the efficiency of fermentation and reducing the cost of ethanol production. However, there is still great scope for developing an efficient and inexpensive production process for bioethanol. This article describes a production process for bioethanol using wheat as a feedstock. This process was developed following analysis of mashing parameters such as wheat inclusion rate, pH, temperature, and exogenous enzyme choice. Further work showed that cooking the wheat was not required and that the process of backsetting benefited fermentation. These results have allowed the development of a proposed low-cost production process that will be of use in Northern Europe.