Effects of ensilage on storage and enzymatic degradability of sugar beet pulp

Ensiling was investigated for the long-term storage of Sugar Beet Pulp (SBP). Eight strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and a non-inoculated control were screened based on their ability to rapidly reduce pH, produce a large amount of lactic acid and inhibit undesirable fermentations. Lactobacillus brevis B-1836 (LAB #120), Lactobacillus fermentum NRRL B-4524 (LAB #137) and a non-inoculated control were selected for further research to determine the effects of LAB inoculation level and packing density on SBP silage quality and sugar yield upon enzymatic hydrolysis. Both SBP preservation and prevention of cellulose and hemicellulose loss were better when SBP was treated with LAB #137 compared to LAB #120 and the non-inoculated control. Additionally, the ensiling process was found to significantly improve the enzymatic digestibility of SBP by as much as 35%. The results suggest that ensiling may be a promising technology for SBP stabilization and pretreatment for bioconversion to products.