Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2014) 3(5): 84-96 84 Original Research Article Bio-Ethanol Production from Banana peel by Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation Process using cocultures Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ajay Kumar Singh*, Sanat Rath, Yashab Kumar, Harison Masih, Jyotsna K. Peter, Jane C. Benjamin, Pradeep Kumar Singh, Dipuraj, Pankaj Singh Department of Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences (Deemed to be University), Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Bioethanol as an alternative source of energy has received special attention world wide due to depletion of fossil fuels. In India, sugar cane molasses is the main raw material for ethanol production. But the short supply and increased cost is the main hindrance for its use. The cellulosic materials are cheaper and available in plenty but their conversion to ethanol involves many steps and is therefore expensive. Under such circumstances a novel approach is essential to use renewable substrates such as fruit waste. Banana is one of major constitute the principal food resources in the world and occupy the fourth world rank of the most significant foodstuffs after rice, corn and milk (INIBAP, 2002). Most of the fruit peels/residues are dried, ground, pelletized, and sold to the feed manufacturers at a low price which is not considered a highly viable proposition (Mamma et al., 2008). As per the FAO statistics, India is the largest producer of banana in the world and accounts for nearly 30% of the total world production ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 5 (2014) pp. 84-96 http://www.ijcmas.com Keywords Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) of banana peels to ethanol by cocultures of Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated at different temperatures (20°C to 50°C) and at different pH (4 to 7). Fermentation was done for 7 days for banana peels and the ethanol content was measured every 24 hours. The optimum pH and temperature for the fermentation of banana peels was found to be 6 and 30°C. With the optimized pH and temperature, fermentation was then carried out at different yeast concentration 3% to 12%. With the change in the concentration of yeast, the time required for the completion of fermentation decreased dramatically. Using a 12%, 9%, 6%, 3% yeast inoculum, maximum ethanol production was completely achieved in 2, 3, 5, 7 days respectively.