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Research for new, cheap and abundant agro-raw material for ethanol production remains a
contemporary issue in the quest for safe and renewable energy globally, particularly with reference to
bio-fuel production. This study evaluates the potentials of Ficus carica (Fig) and Phoenix dactylifera
(Date palm) fruits as possible alternative raw materials to food grains for ethanol production. Fig and
date palm fruit pulps were fermented in flask on a rotary shaker using Saccharomyces cersvisiaes (NCIM.
3288) obtained from National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) Pune, India. pH and
Ethanol yield of the reacting media were determined every 24 hr till 120 hr. At 120 hr, distillation of
ethanol from the pulp syrups was carried out at two temperature regimes (80-88, 78-82oC) and the
distilled ethanol purified by sodium hydroxide reaction (NaOH). The results showed that pH decreases as
fermentation time increase and ethanol yield increased with increase in fermentation time till 96 hr when
optimal yield was attained and subsequently decrease in ethanol yield beyond 96 hr to 120 hr. Both
ethanol quantity determination by fermentation (0.95w/v for fig and 1.23w/v for Date fruits) and
distillation (8.76% for fig and 10.64% for date fruits) revealed that date fruit yielded more ethanol than
fig fruit fermented syrup. However, ethanol obtained and purified from the fruit pulps showed that fig
fruit produced purer ethanol than date pulp. The study concluded that both fig and date fruits could be
utilised as potential alternative raw material to food grains for bioethanol production.
Keywords: bioethanol, distillation, ethanol yield, fermentation, Saccharomyces cersvisiaes.