Exploring the Fermentative Potential of Candida tropicalis for Xylitol and Arabitol Production from Different Carbon Sources and Sugarcane Hemicellulosic Hydrolysate

Arabitol and xylitol are pentitol isomers with applications as low-calorie sweeteners and platform chemicals. This study evaluated the fermentative behavior of Candida tropicalis , isolated from a sugarcane-processing facility and identified by sequencing the 5.8S–ITS1–ITS2 rRNA region. A 12-run Plackett–Burman design with three center-point replicates was used to screen the main effects of glucose, xylose, arabinose, glycerol, lactose, furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and acetic acid on polyol production. The maximum arabitol and xylitol concentrations were 6.03 and 12.12 g L −1 , respectively; these values were obtained in different experimental runs and corresponded to yields of 0.46 g arabitol g −1 arabinose and 0.47 g xylitol g −1 xylose. Xylose and acetic acid significantly affected xylitol production, whereas arabinose was the primary factor affecting arabitol formation. A subsequent proof-of-concept fermentation was conducted with sugarcane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate containing 30 g L −1 xylose and 5.81 g L −1 arabinose. In the unsupplemented hydrolysate, xylitol and arabitol reached 13.5 and 1.77 g L −1 , respectively, with a xylitol productivity of 0.11 g L −1 h −1 . Lactose and glycerol supplementation increased arabinose consumption but reduced overall polyol production. These results demonstrate the ability of C. tropicalis to convert the principal pentoses in sugarcane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate into value-added polyols.