Alcoholic fermentation by the wild yeasts under thermal, osmotic and ethanol stress

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to explore the variability in the metabolism of nine wild yeasts isolated from the sugarcane juice from a distillery in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso. Cell viability under the stress conditions was evaluated. The yeasts were inoculated in the test tubes containing sugarcane juice adjusted from 12 to 21º Brix, ethanol from 6 to 12% in volume and temperature at 30, 35 and 40ºC. The viability was established by the growth in Petri dishes and visually by the CO2 production in the test tubes. None of the evaluated yeasts showed simultaneous resistance to the three stress conditions. The potential of yeast BB.09 could be emphasized due to its ability to ferment up to12% ethanol at 30°C.