Production of bioethanol from sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L.] juice using yeast isolated from fermented sweet sorghum juice

As a sugar-rich plant with no impact on global warming and food security, sweet sorghum can be exploited as an alternative source of renewable bioenergy. This study aimed to examine the potential of sweet sorghum juice for the generation of bioethanol using yeast isolated from the juice. The °Brix of sweet sorghum juice was measured using a digital refractometer. Additionally, 18 wild yeasts isolated from fermented sweet sorghum juice were subjected to various biochemical tests to describe them to identify potential yeast for ethanol production. The morphological and biochemical analyses of the yeasts revealed that all of the yeast isolates were most likely members of the genus Saccharomyces. The most ethanol-tolerant yeast isolate SJU14 was employed for sweet sorghum juice fermentation. A completely randomized factorial design was used with various fermentation parameters, primarily pH, temperature, and incubation period. Then ethanol content was determined using a potassium dichromate solution. According to the ANOVA, the highest ethanol content (18.765%) was produced at 30/26 °C, pH 4.5, and incubated for 96 h. Sweet sorghum juice was found to be an excellent source of potent yeasts, which have important industrial properties like the capacity to grow at high ethanol and glucose concentrations. Moreover, it can be utilized as a substitute substrate for the manufacturing of bioethanol production to lessen the environmental threat posed by fossil fuels. Further research is, therefore, recommended to develop strategically valuable applications of sweet sorghum for enhancing the food system and mitigating climate change.