Challanges and Opportunities in Sustainable Ethanol Production

Saccharomyces cerevisiae plays a central role in bioethanol production due to its high efficiency in converting fermentable sugars into ethanol. During the industrial fermentation process, large amounts of yeast biomass are generated, and part of this surplus can be reused through endogenous fermentation, contributing to greater sustainability and resource efficiency in ethanol production systems. This study describes the characteristics of selected industrial and bakery strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, explores the concept and applicability of endogenous fermentation in sustainable ethanol production, and evaluates the effects of heat stress on yeast performance. Fermentation experiments were conducted using Fleischmann® and Pedra-2 strains cultivated in sugarcane juice under different fermentation conditions. The results indicate that ethanol plants may employ either selected industrial strains or bakery yeasts depending on operational strategies and local availability. Furthermore, the reuse of surplus yeast biomass through endogenous fermentation presents potential economic and environmental advantages by increasing ethanol yield and reducing waste. However, yeast performance can be negatively affected by stress factors, particularly elevated temperatures, which may reduce fermentation efficiency and cellular viability, highlighting the importance of careful monitoring and process control to maintain stable and sustainable bioethanol production

Biofuel · Ethanol Fermentation · Ethanol fuel · Fermentation · Sustainability · Yeast · Biofuel production and bioconversion · Fermentation and Sensory Analysis · Fungal and yeast genetics research