Grain fermentation

Particle size and cooking condition for the grain slurry vary depending on the type of distilled spirit that is to be produced. In the case of com grain fermentations, distillers use small size, high temperature, and low beer gallonage (higher starch concentrations) for neutral spirits production at 120—170°C and 76—91 L/0.03 m. Bourbon distillates call for low temperatures (100—150°C) and thinner mash of 95—115 L/0.03 m (saccharified starch slurries) out of flavor considerations. (0.03 m is approximately a bushel). 

Nature is full of drugs. Even animals use and abuse drugs. For example, birds eat certain kinds of berries that ferment on the tree, literally getting drunk on them until they can barely stagger, let alone fly. Elephants have been known to seek out piles of grain fermenting in the fields and even learn to break into enclosures where such grain is stored. Made rowdy by the effects of the alcohol, the elephants can be a serious or even deadly nuisance. 

Formation in Alcoholic Grain Fermentations, J. Agr. Food Chem. (1970) 18,585-589. 

In 1985, over 4 million tons of carbon dioxide were produced from non-oilfield sources (1 3) About three-fourths of this carbon dioxide is produced as a co-product in the manufacture of ammonia. Recovery as a co-product from grain fermentation provides another major source of carbon dioxide. It is also obtained from refinery and chemical operations and natural wells. The major commercial uses of carbon dioxide are derived from its physical properties. These uses include refrigeration, beverage carbonation and fire extinguishers. Only 10 of the carbon dioxide produced is used in chemical manufacture. 

Prior to the discovery of monacoUn K, Endo isolated a compound called mevas-tatin from grain ferment. This is the parent compound of most modem cholesterol drags. Some of its derivatives can be used more favorably, but mevastatin is still a useful medicine. In 1980 Lovastatin (or mevinolin), a mevastatin-related compound isolated form of the fungus Aspergillus terreus (Fig. 3.27), had been shown to be identical to monacolin K. This discovery was not particularly useful for some time. 

Reazin, G., H. Scales, A. Andreasen, Mechanism of a major conenger formation in alcoholic grain fermentations, J. Agric. Food Chem., 18, p. 585, 1970. 

FERMENTATION. Many carbohydrate sources may be fermented for example fruit juices, palm juice, cactus juice, molasses, sugar, honey, milk, potatoes, or cereal grains. Fermentation is the production of ethanol or ethyl alcohol by the action of yeast on carbohydrate as shown in Fig. C-26. 

Ethanol also can be produced by fermentation of starch, whey, and sulfite waste liquor. Grain fermentations require additional pretreatment... 

In the grain fermentation process, 8 to 10 percent corn mashes were fermented (corn contains 70-72% starch on a dry basis). Fermentation yields were on the order of 29 to 32 grams mixed solvent per 100 grams starch used, with a solvent ratio of approximately 60-30-10 (butanol-acetone-ethanol, respectively). The organisms possessed good diastatic activity, so malting was not required. The cooked sterile cornmeal suspension was aseptically transferred to sterile fermentors, inoculated, and incubated for about 65 hours at 37°C, after which the solvents were recovered by distillation. The aqueous residue (slop or stillage) was concentrated in multiple-effect evaporators and drum-dried for use in animal and poultry feeds. 

Uses Defoamer for use in alcohol prod, via grain fermentation Regulatory FDA 173.340... 

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