ABSTRACT
In this study, the biodiversity and some interesting phenotypic properties of Saccharomyces wild yeasts isolated in distilleries, at least 100 years old, located in La Mancha (Spain), were determined. Strains were genetically characterized by RFLP-mtDNA, which confirmed a great genetic biodiversity with 73% of strains with different mtDNA profiles, highlighting the large variability found in sweet and fermented piquette substrata. The predominant species identified was S. cerevisiae, followed by S. paradoxus and S. bayanus Due to the residual sugar-alcohol extraction process using warm water, a great number of thermophilic Saccharomyces strains with a great cell vitality were found to have potential use as starters in distillery plants. Interesting technological properties such as cell vitality and growth rate at different temperatures were studied. The thermal washing process for the extraction of alcohol and reducing sugars of some raw materials contributes to the presence of Saccharomyces strains with technologically interesting properties, especially in terms of vitality and resistance to high temperatures. Due to the fact that fermentation is spontaneous, the yeast biota of these environments, Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces, is very varied so these ecological niches are microbial reserves of undoubted biotechnological interest.