Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) for citric acid (CA) production and its impact on chemical oxygen demand (COD) of SSB. Five types of SSB were used as a carbon source for CA production by A. niger, and the COD of each SSB was measured before and after the bioprocess. Results showed that all tested SSB were suitable for CA production, with maximum yields ranging from 13.01 to 56.62 g L(- 1). The COD was reduced from 53 to 75.64%, indicating that the bioprocess effectively treated SSB wastes. The use of SSB as a substrate for CA production provides an alternative to traditional feedstocks, such as sugarcane and beet molasses. The low-cost and high availability of SSB makes it an attractive option for CA production. Moreover, the study demonstrated the potential of the bioprocess to simultaneously treat and reuse SSB wastes, reducing the environmental impact of the beverage industry. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05761-9.