Abstract:
This work has been done on a multistage packed column fermenter in the production of vinegar from pineapple wine. Pure culture of A. aceti was used to ferment with yeast extract, peptone, mannitol and diammonium hydrogen phosphate 0.05%, 0.03% 0.05% and 0.3% w/v respectively as supplement. The liquid flow rate of 2.85 liter/min and aeration rate of 0.02 VVM were supplied. The fermenter has 7.2 centimeters inside diameter with 25, 50 or 100 centimeter in height depend on the type of construction. The siphoning system was used to drain off the wort from the column. The packed bed contain 90 spherical particle with 1.5 centimeters in diameter to each column height of 25 centimeters. From the preliminary studied both in shaked flask and fermenter on the packing material it was found that the Afzelia xylocarpa Craib gave the best result. The most suitable ratio of alcohol to acetic acid ratio was 7:1. The comparison on the rate of vinegar production using various types of fermenters it was found that a series four-stages common-column fermenter gave the best follow by a parallel four stages separate-column, a series of two-stages separate-column, a single stage column and a series of four-stages separate-column respectively.