Xylitol production from d-xylose and horticultural waste hemicellulosic hydrolysate by a new isolate of Candida athensensis SB18

This paper describes the production of xylitol from d-xylose and horticultural waste hemicellulosic hydrolysate by a new strain of Candida athensensis SB18. Strain SB18 completely consumed 250 and 300 g L−1d-xylose and successful converted it to xylitol in the respective yield of 0.83 and 0.87 g g−1, resulting in 207.8 and 256.5 g L−1 of xylitol, respectively. The respective volumetric productivity were 1.15 and 0.97 g L−1 h−1. Approximately 100.1 g L−1 of xylitol was obtained from the bioconversion of detoxified horticultural waste hemicellulosic hydrolysate using strain SB18. The yield and productivity were 0.81 g g−1 xylose and 0.98 g L−1 h−1, respectively. Strain C. athensensis SB18 was able to completely utilize glucose, mannose, xylose and partially arabinose. This work demonstrates that stain C. athensensis SB18 is a promising strain for high-titer and high-yield xylitol production and it has great potential in bioconversion of hemicellulosic hydrolysate.

► A Candida athensensis strain SB18 was used for xylitol production. ► It completely assimilated 300 g/L d-xylose and produced 256.5 g/L xylitol. ► It converted horticultural waste hemicellulosic hydrolysate efficiently to xylitol. ► It was xylose-tolerant and produced xylitol in high titer and yield.