Effect of different cellulase dosages on cell viability and ethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus in SSF processes

This study was aimed to study the effect of commercial cellulases (Celluclast 1.5 L FG) on Kluyveromyces marxianus CECT 10875 growth and ethanol production in SSF processes. Preliminary tests carried out in glucose (50 g/L) fermentation medium showed that high enzyme amounts (2.5–3.5 FPU/mL) could cause a negative effect on K. marxianus growth rate and viable cells number. However, the maximum ethanol production was not affected and about 86% of the theoretical (22 g/L) was reached in all cases independently of the enzyme dosage. In SSF experiments, cell viability was always affected by enzyme loading. Nervertheless, slight differences observed on cell viability during glucose fermentation processes with the detected concentrations of the additives did not justify the negative effect observed in SSF experiments.