Gestão da qualidade e controle microbiológico na fermentação etanólica: estudo de caso em uma usina sucroenergética

Abstract

Sugarcane is the main raw material for ethanol production and the efficiency of the fermentation process is directly linked to its quality. The objective of this paper is to analyze the laboratory routine on the control of biological contamination that can impair the quality of fermentation in a sugarcane plant. The follow-up of microbiological analyzes, in fermented must and treated yeast, was made daily and following the routine of the laboratory responsible for verifying production management and quality control. The study showed that the analyzed samples have characteristics that meet the quality standards of ethanol productivity, and also prove that the performance of these analyzes ensures the maintenance of the yeast volume used during the harvest, enabling a more cost effective, efficient process that does not affect the quality of the desired product.