Vegetables and fruits, high in starch and sugars, are promising substrates for bioethanol production, but can also yield valuable nootropic compounds, such as α-glycerylphosphorylcholine (α-GPC). This compound is a known cognitive enhancer that works by increasing the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for learning and memory. In this study, select root and tuber crops, as well as fruits, were subjected to Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation to observe the co-production of ethanol and α-GPC. The ethanol yields from these substrates were comparable to those from wheat (var. AC Andrew), ranging from 30.44 g/L (beet) to 70.04 g/L (lotus root). Aside from ethanol, α-GPC was also produced, with purple top turnip yielding 0.91 g/L, the second highest concentration after wheat (used as a reference), which produced 1.25 g/L. Although α-GPC yields in the tested substrates were lower than those from cereal grains (e.g., wheat and barley), a noteworthy observation was the production of methanol in many of these substrates. Methanol was detected in all feedstocks except wheat, with concentrations ranging from 0.10 g/L (cassava) to 1.69 g/L (purple top turnip). A linear regression analysis revealed a strong correlation between methanol and α-GPC content (R2 = 0.876; slope = 0.52), suggesting a potential link in their biosynthetic pathways. These feedstocks not only proved effective as substrates for bioethanol production, but also showed potential for generating value-added compounds such as α-GPC. This dual-purpose potential presents new market opportunities for producers by leveraging both biofuel and nootropic compound production. Furthermore, the observed relationship between methanol and α-GPC production warrants further investigation to elucidate the metabolic pathways involved.
Keywords: ethanol; fermentation; fruit; root; tuber; value-added products; α-glycerylphosphorylcholine.