Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Chemical Engineering

INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY (LAB)

DOCUMENTATION FOR EXPERIMENT NO. 2

FERMENTATION

SUBMITTED BY:
Dalawampu, Ian Yes
De Dios, Mary Jane
Del Rosario, John Matthew
Garcia, Ann Clarisse
Marcos, Jastene Alyssa

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. MILAGROS R. CABANGON

01 AUGUST 2016

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

TWO-STEP (ALCOHOLIC AND ACETIC) FERMENTATION OF

SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea Batatas) USING YEAST
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae) AND ACETIC
ACID BACTERIA (Acetobacter) FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF TABLE VINEGAR

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

SUBMITTED BY:
Dalawampu, Ian Yes
De Dios, Mary Jane
Del Rosario, John Matthew
Garcia, Ann Clarisse
Marcos, Jastene Alyssa

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. MILAGROS R. CABANGON

01 AUGUST 2016

I.

INTRODUCTION
The word vinegar is derived from the French word "Vin" which means wine and
the word "aigre" which means sour. Vinegar was originally made of wine, just as it is
indicated by its name long time ago. It is known that the vinegar was used in Babylon
5,000 BC; the Holy Bible mentions it and Hypocrites used it as a health remedy. It was
likely discovered by accident when wine went sour when left for too long.
Vinegar is produced from fermentation of various sugary and starchy materials.
Fermentation can produce alcohol or acetic acid as in fermentation of fruit. Bacteria,
yeasts and molds are used to produce acetic acid. Fermentation to alcohol produces a
pleasant, but not stable, product unless the concentration of alcohol is fairly high.
Vinegar is then created by the oxidizing of alcohol in products such as wine or beer or
any other fermented liquid. The active component of vinegar that makes it so useful is
acetic acid; which is a byproduct of a bacteria called acetobacter. Thus, wine turns to
vinegar over time.
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

The starting materials to vinegar production can be any fruit or source of sugars.
They are fermented with yeast to convert the sugar to ethanol (CH 3CH2OH). The ethanol
is then oxidized (oxygen added) to form acetic acid (CH 3COOH)) by bacterial digestion
of the ethanol.
Vinegar is of two types - natural (brewed) and synthetic (non-brewed). Natural
vinegar can be prepared from any sugary material like sugarcane juice, coconut water,
jaggery, fruit and cannery wastes, molasses, palm juices etc. As said by its name,
synthetic vinegar is made artificially but not fermented naturally by microbe. Synthetic
vinegar is prepared from acetic acid. By diluting the acetic acid, adding amino acids,
organic acids, fruit juice, flavour, colour, etc., different tasty synthetic vinegar drinks are
formed. Its color and aroma are greatly dependent on the material from which it is made
(Kehrer 1921).

II.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Synthetic vinegars are widely produced and used today. However, synthetic
vinegars are strongly acidic and can cause irritation, pain or burning in your throat or
stomach if consumed in large quantities. Moreover its nutrition value is low. Therefore,
this experiment aims to produce a table vinegar using sweet potatoes which is healthier

III.

as an alternative to synthetic vinegars.

OBJECTIVES
A. General Objective
To produce table vinegar by the process of alcoholic and subsequent acetic
fermentation of Sweet Potato with the use of Yeast and Acetic Bacteria respectively.
B. Specific Objectives
1. To conform to the standard of vinegar with the following properties:
(i)
pH level; and
(ii)
acetic acid concentration
2. To optimize parameters for maximum yield:
(i)
sugar content;
(ii)
container;
(iii)
amount of mother vinegar

IV.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Consumers
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Vinegar is a common flavoring. It can be used to enhance the good tastes of

many foods. It can effectively protect the nutrients in foods and improve the health of
human body.

V.

METHODOLOGY
A. Raw Materials
Raw Material
60

mL

Function
sweet

potato

juice

10 mL white sugar
teaspoon yeast
20 mL mother vinegar

Source of sugar and nutrients

Added to the yeast starter
Converts sugar to ethanol
Starter. Provide acetic acid bacteria,
which converts ethanol into acetic acid
(the primary ingredient in vinegar).

After making the table vinegar, the following are the percentage
composition presented in a pie graph:

Percentage Composition
Mother Vinegar; 22%
Yeast; 11%
2%
Sugar;
Sweet
Potato Juice; 65%

B. Procedure
1. Steps in the Laboratory
a. Preparation of Sweet Potato
Peeling
Peel 1 kg sweet potatoes.

Chopping
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Coarsely chop them using the blade in your food processor, or

finely dice by hand.

Boiling
Put the chopped sweet potatoes in a pot. Cover with water, bring to a
boil, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes or so.

Filtering
When tender, strain the liquid out of the potatoes through a clean
cheese cloth.

Addition of Sugar
For Trials:

(A) No sugar will be added.

(B) Dissolve 30 mL sugar in the sweet potato juice.
Pasteurization
Pasteurize the mixture for 20 minutes at 65 oC to kill pathogenic
microorganisms present.

Transferring to a Container
Cool and transfer the mixture into sterilized gallons or containers:
(1) glass,
(2) plastic,
(3) jar.

b. Major Process
Alcoholic Fermentation
o Addition of yeast.
Add tsp. of yeast to convert the sugars to ethanol.
o Fermentation
Cover tightly and allow to ferment for 4-7 days.
o Pasteurization
Slowly decant the alcoholic mixture and heat further for 20
minutes at 65oC.

Acetic Fermentation
o Addition of mother vinegar
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Add mother vinegar (starter): (a) 10 mL (b) 20 mL (c) 30

mL and set aside undisturbed for a month or until maximum acidity
is attained.
c. Finishing
Filtration
Filter the vinegar mixture using a filter paper to remove
undesirable solids.

Pasteurization
Heat further for 20 minutes at at 65oC.
Bottling

Transfer the vinegar in a sterile bottle for storage.

Figure 5.1 Process Flowchart

PREPARATION OF SWEET POTATO

Peeling

Chopping

Boiling

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Pasteurization

Addition of Sugar

Filtering

MAJOR PROCESS
Glass

Jar

Plastic
Transferring to a Container

Pasteurization
Addition of yeast
Fermentation

FINISHING

Addition of mother vinegar

Fermentation

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Pasteurization

Filtration
Figure 5.2 Manufacturing Process in the Industry

Pressing

Crushing

Harvesting

Aging

Filtering

Fermenting

Filtering

Fermenting

Bottling

Figure 5.3 Equivalent Equipment

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Crusher

Wine Press

Fermentation Vat

Acetator

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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Plate and Frame Filter

Bottling Machine

Unit Operation
Figure 5.4 TIME MOTION STUDY
Operation

Time Elapsed

a. Preparation of Sweet Potato

Peeling
Chopping
Boiling
Filtering
Addition of Sugar

15 mins.
5 mins.
30 mins.
20 mins.
2 mins.
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Pasteurization
Transferring to a Container
SUBTOTAL
b. Major Process
Alcoholic Fermentation
Addition of Yeast

2 mins.

Fermentation

170 hrs.

Pasteurization

20 mins.

Acetic Fermentation
Addition of Mother Vinegar
Fermentation
SUBTOTAL
c. Finishing
Filtration
Pasteurization
SUBTOTAL
TOTAL OPERATION TIME:

VI.

20 mins.
2 mins.
1 hr. 34 mins.

2 mins
130 hrs.
12 days, 12 hrs, 24 mins.
20 mins.
20 mins.
40 mins.
12 days, 14 hrs, 38 mins.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Health Benefits of Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes are nutritious, high in fiber, very filling and have a delicious sweet
taste. It is one of the high calorie starch foods (provide 90 calories/100 g vs. 70
calories/100 g in potato). The tuber, however, contains no saturated fats or cholesterol,
and is rich source of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals than potatoes.
Its calorie content mainly comes from starch, a complex carbohydrate. Sweet
potato has higher amylose to the amylopectin ratio than that in potato. Amylose raises
the blood sugar levels rather slowly on comparison to simple fruit sugars (fructose,
glucose etc.) and therefore, recommended as a healthy food item even in diabetes.

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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

Sweet potato provides good amount of vital minerals such as iron, calcium,
magnesium, manganese, and potassium that are very essential for enzyme, protein, and
carbohydrate metabolism.
(Rudrappa, 2009)
B. Alcoholic and Acetic Fermentation
The vinegar process is essentially a two stage process, where yeasts convert
sugars into alcohol (alcoholic fermentation), followed by acetobacter, which oxidize
alcohol to acetic acid (acetic fermentation).
In sugar rich, easily fermentable fruits a two stage fermentation is employed,
Firstly yeasts transform sugars within the juice into alcohol. The overall process of
alcoholic fermentation is to convert glucose sugar (C6H12O6) to alcohol (CH3CH2OH)
and carbon dioxide gas (CO2):
C6H12O6

2(CH3CH2OH)

Sugar(Glucose)

Alcohol (Ethyl alcohol)

2(CO2)

+ Energy

Carbon dioxide gas + Energy

The second stage of the process, and the first performed by AAB is the
transformation of ethanol alcohol into acetic acid. Acetobacter convert alcohol to acetic
acid in the presence of excess oxygen. The oxidation of one mole of ethanol yields one
mole each of acetic acid and water:
C2H5OH + O2

CH3COOH + H2O

Alcohol

acetic acid

water

(Reade, 2012)

VII.

DATA AND RESULTS

The pH and titratable acidity are very important parameters in the vinegar
fermentation process.
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

a. Determination of pH

pH level of the vinegar was measured using pH strips. The

detergent is dissolved in distilled water (neutral, which is pH 7,
100% solution) and blotted with the test paper to give a reading.
pH
Standard

2.4

Commercial (Datu Puti)

2-3

Trials:
Glass
w/ Sugar
10 mL mother vinegar

2-3

20 mL mother vinegar

2-3

30 mL mother vinegar

2-3

10 mL mother vinegar

2-3

20 mL mother vinegar

2-3

30 mL mother vinegar

2-3

10 mL mother vinegar

2-3

w/o Sugar

Plastic
w/ Sugar

14

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

20 mL mother vinegar

2-3

30 mL mother vinegar

2-3

10 mL mother vinegar

2-3

20 mL mother vinegar

2-3

30 mL mother vinegar

2-3

10 mL mother vinegar

2-3

20 mL mother vinegar

2-3

30 mL mother vinegar

2-3

10 mL mother vinegar

2-3

20 mL mother vinegar

2-3

w/o Sugar

Jar
w/ Sugar

w/o Sugar

30 L mother vinegar

2-3

b. Titratable Acidity
Titratable acidity (TA) was determined as ml of 0.1 M NaOH used to obtain a pink
color endpoint with phenolphthalein. Dry phenolphthalein (0.002 gram) was added into
each 10 ml sample vinegar solution. Acetic acid is the major organic acid in vinegar.
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

%TA
Standard

4.2

Commercial (Datu Puti)

4.17

Trials:
Glass
w/ Sugar
10 mL mother vinegar

2.82

20 mL mother vinegar

4.38

30 mL mother vinegar

6.91

10 mL mother vinegar

0.25

20 mL mother vinegar

2.10

30 mL mother vinegar

5.01

10 mL mother vinegar

5.91

20 mL mother vinegar

7.20

30 mL mother vinegar

9.37

10 mL mother vinegar

3.15

w/o Sugar

Plastic
w/ Sugar

w/o Sugar

16

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

20 mL mother vinegar

5.43

30 mL mother vinegar

7.09

10 mL mother vinegar

8.66

20 mL mother vinegar

10.70

30 mL mother vinegar

13.79

10 mL mother vinegar

5.48

20 mL mother vinegar

9.73

30 mL mother vinegar

10.39

Jar
w/ Sugar

w/o Sugar

Analysis
Among the trials, the vinegar sample in the glass container with sugar
and 20 mL mother vinegar gives the most satisfying results in terms of its
properties. Having an average amount of mother vinegar compared to the other
trials, its acetic acid content conforms to the standard as well as its pH, although
all the trials obtained the same level of pH.
VIII.

CONCLUSION
Sweet Potato is a feasible raw material to use in the production of table
vinegar. Alcoholic and subsequent acetic acid fermentation was successfully
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Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering

completed using sweet potato juice with the following optimized parameters: addition
of sugar, use of glass container, and addition of 20% mother vinegar.
Sweet potato vinegar, being the product of this experiment, is comparable to
existing and standard wine in terms of its properties such as pH level and acid
concentration, only with some adjustments to its color and taste.
IX.

RECOMMENDATION
As a result, this study encouraged the further development of this study by
addition of some spices and food additives and by application of new principles
discovered, aside from extending the fermentation time and also looking for strains
with high vinegar production as well as suitable tolerance against high ethanol
concentrations and production temperature.
Moreover, this study recommended that the sweet potato vinegar must be
subjected to sensory analysis, descriptive and consumer acceptance, for further
evaluation and to investigate the amount of toxic compounds in sweet potato vinegar
and to report of isolation and identification of an Acetobacter strain.

X.

REFERENCES:
Kehrer CL. 1921. The chemistry of vinegar. Journal of Food Product and The American
Vinegar Industry 1: 5-20.
Reade, B. (2012, March 27). Acetic Fermentation - Vinegar. Retrieved from Nordic Food
Lab: http://nordicfoodlab.org/blog/2012/03/acetic-fermentation-vinegar
Rudrappa, U. (2009). Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts. Retrieved from Nutrition and You:
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/sweet_potato.html

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