Fuente: Microorganisms - Revista científica (MDPI) Microorganisms, Vol. 14, Pages 907: Anaerobic Bioconversion of Mixed Fruit Waste into Organic Acids and a Multifunctional Enzymatic Bioproduct in a Stirred-Tank Bioreactor Using Wickerhamomyces sp. UFFS-CE-3.1.2
Microorganisms doi: 10.3390/microorganisms14040907
Authors:
Vitória Dassoler Longo
Nair Mirely Freire Pinheiro Silveira
Marcelli Powzum Amorim
Emanuely Fagundes da Silva
Isabely Sandi Baldasso
Arielle Cristina Fornari
Mateus Torres Nazari
Sérgio L. Alves
Helen Treichel

The microbial valorization of agro-industrial residues is a promising strategy for sustainable bioprocesses and the development of a circular bioeconomy. In this study, mixed fruit peel waste was anaerobically fermented in a stirred-tank bioreactor using Wickerhamomyces sp. UFFS-CE-3.1.2 to produce organic acids and a multifunctional enzymatic bioproduct. During fermentation, sugars decreased from 6.51 to 0.22 g L−1, leading to the formation of citric acid (7.65 g L−1), ethanol (3.77 g L−1), glycerol (0.53 g L−1), and acetic acid (0.37 g L−1). The accumulation of organic acids likely imposed metabolic stress on the yeast, triggering physiological responses that mitigate oxidative stress. Consequently, the resulting enzymatic extract exhibited high lipase activity (185.63 U mL−1), late catalase induction (520.97 U mL−1), and stable superoxide dismutase activity (50 U mL−1). This enzymatic profile indicates the formation of a stress-adapted microbial system with potential applicability in processes involving lipid hydrolysis and oxidative mechanisms. The process was conducted without supplementation of synthetic medium and operated stably in a stirred-tank bioreactor. Overall, these results suggest a feasible microbial strategy for converting fruit waste into value-added bioproducts, contributing to the development of sustainable biotechnological processes.