Production of Bioethanol from Tropical Fruit Waste (Pineapple, Banana, and Papaya) through Alcoholic Fermentation

The use of fruit waste as a raw material for bioethanol production offers significant advantages in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and producing new sources of renewable energy from biomass. The aim of this study was to recycle tropical fruit peels (pineapple, banana, and papaya) to produce second-generation biofuels. Fresh fruit peels were collected, sorted and kept at 4°C. Fermentation was carried out in four fermenters, followed by simple distillation (78–80°C), rectification, and then dehydration with magnesium sulfate to obtain high-purity bioalcohol. The results obtained for the organoleptic parameters showed that, during fermentation, the must from the fruit peels was a yellow to orange color, an initially sweet-tart smell that evolved into an alcoholic smell, and a fruity-sweet taste that evolved into a pronounced alcohol taste at the end of fermentation. During fermentation, a decrease in Brix degree was observed from 14 to 9 for musts from pineapple peels, and from 13 to 7 for musts from banana and papaya peels. This indicated good fermentation potential. After dehydration, the probable alcohol content of pineapple musts increased from 4.67% to over 53% (v/v) for P1 and from 5.35% to over 60% for P2 (v/v). Thus, converting fruit waste into bioethanol could lead to a sustainable process, with the dual advantage of solving the problem of food waste disposal while meeting the energy needs of a growing population.