Unraveling Brazilian bioethanol yeasts as novel starters for high-gravity brewing.

High-gravity (HG) brewing has broader application to succeed on beer differentiation and production optimization. However, such process imposes a handicap to yeasts, which must be able to deal with stressful conditions in fermentation. In this work, we assessed different physiological traits of 24 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from Brazilian bioethanol distilleries for the selection of novel starters for HG brewing. Five yeast strains were selected with ability to overcome different stressors under HG beer fermentation, showing high fermentability rates, resilience to ethanol stress, low production of foam and hydrogen sulfide, as well as similar flocculation rates to brewer's yeasts. After five fermentation recycles, most strains sustained a viability rate higher than 90% and were able to efficiently accumulate trehalose and glycogen, besides presenting no detectable petite mutants at the final stage. In the sensory analysis, the beers obtained from the five selected strains showed greater aromatic complexity, with predominance of 'spicy', 'dried' and 'fresh fruits' descriptors. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the potential of yeast strains from Brazilian bioethanol process to produce distinctive specialty beers, aside from proposing an effective selection methodology based on relevant physiological attributes for HG brewing process.

Features of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a culture starter for the production of the distilled sugar cane beverage, cachaça in Brazil.

AIMS: To evaluate the dominance and persistence of strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the process of sugar cane fermentation for the production of cachaça and to analyse the microbial compounds produced in each fermentative process. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three S. cerevisiae strains were evaluated during seven consecutive 24-h fermentation batches using recycled inocula. The UFLA CA 116 strain had the largest population of viable organisms, and the maximum population was achieved in the fourth batch after 96 h of fermentation. The UFLA CA 1162 and UFLA CA 1183 strains grew more slowly, and the maximum population was reached in the seventh batch. Molecular characterization of isolated yeast cells using PFGE (pulse field gel electrophoresis) revealed that more than 86% of the isolates corresponded to the initially inoculated yeast strain. The concentration of aldehydes, esters, methanol, alcohol and volatile acids in the final-aged beverages were within the legal limits. CONCLUSIONS: Cachaça produced by select yeast strains exhibits analytical differences. UFLA CA 1162 and UFLA CA 116 S. cerevisiae isolates can be considered the ideal strains for the artisanal production of cachaça in Brazil. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The use of select yeast strains can improve the quality and productivity of cachaça production. Our findings are important for the appropriate monitoring of yeast during sugar cane fermentation. In addition, we demonstrate that UFLA CA 116 and UFLA CA 1162, the ideal yeast strains for cachaça production, are maintained at a high population density. The persistence of these yeast strains in the fermentation of sugar cane juice promotes environmental conditions that prevent or decrease bacterial contamination. Thus, the use of select yeast strains for the production of cachaça is a viable economic alternative to standardize the production of this beverage.

Efeito da trealose na manutenção da viabilidade de células de leveduras desidratadas por liofilização

To evaluate the influence of the endogenous trehalose and also the use of trehalose as a cryoprotectant medium on the maintenance of yeast cell viability, after the freeze-drying process, strains TA (M-300-A) and SA (strain isolated from Usina Santa Adélia S/A) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the strain IZ-1904 of the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii were tested. After accumulation of endogenous trehalose by heat treatment at 45oC during 2 hours in a potassium citrate buffer (2M pH 4,0 with 2.0% glucose) the yeasts were suspended in one of three cryoprotectant solutions (skimmed milk 10%, sucrose 10% and trehalose 10%), freeze-dried and analysed for their cell viability after 0, 10, 40 and 90 days of storage. Higher viability maintenance after the freeze-drying process occured for all yeasts at the higher endogenous trehalose levels. The solution of skimmed milk 10% was the best cryoprotectant medium for the yeast cells.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a influência da trealose endógena e também o uso da trealose como crioprotetor, na preservação da viabilidade celular de leveduras de interesse industrial quando submetidas ao processo de liofilização. Foram utilizadas as cepas TA (M-300-A) e SA (cepa isolada da Usina Santa Adélia S/A) da levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae e a cepa IZ-1904 da levedura Saccharomyces boulardii, as quais passaram por um tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena, através de tratamento térmico a 45oC por duas horas em meio tampão citrato de potássio 2M, pH 4,0, acrescido de 2% de glicose, e, a seguir, foram suspensas em cada uma de três soluções crioprotetoras, que foram: leite desnatado a 10%, sacarose a 10% e trealose a 10%. Em seguida as massas de levedura foram liofilizadas e, aos 0, 10, 40 e 90 dias após o processo de liofilização, foram determinadas suas viabilidades. Para todos os crioprotetores, as culturas de levedura que passaram pelo tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena apresentaram maior viabilidade após a liofilização do que aquelas que não passaram pelo tratamento. Dentre os crioprotetores testados, a solução de leite desnatado a 10% foi o que proporcionou melhor crioproteção às células de levedura.

EFEITO DA TREALOSE NA MANUTENÇÃO DA VIABILIDADE DE CÉLULAS DE LEVEDURAS DESIDRATADAS POR LIOFILIZAÇÃO

To evaluate the influence of the endogenous trehalose and also the use of trehalose as a cryoprotectant medium on the maintenance of yeast cell viability, after the freeze-drying process, strains TA (M-300-A) and SA (strain isolated from Usina Santa Adélia S/A) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the strain IZ-1904 of the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii were tested. After accumulation of endogenous trehalose by heat treatment at 45oC during 2 hours in a potassium citrate buffer (2M pH 4,0 with 2.0% glucose) the yeasts were suspended in one of three cryoprotectant solutions (skimmed milk 10%, sucrose 10% and trehalose 10%), freeze-dried and analysed for their cell viability after 0, 10, 40 and 90 days of storage. Higher viability maintenance after the freeze-drying process occured for all yeasts at the higher endogenous trehalose levels. The solution of skimmed milk 10% was the best cryoprotectant medium for the yeast cells.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a influência da trealose endógena e também o uso da trealose como crioprotetor, na preservação da viabilidade celular de leveduras de interesse industrial quando submetidas ao processo de liofilização. Foram utilizadas as cepas TA (M-300-A) e SA (cepa isolada da Usina Santa Adélia S/A) da levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae e a cepa IZ-1904 da levedura Saccharomyces boulardii, as quais passaram por um tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena, através de tratamento térmico a 45oC por duas horas em meio tampão citrato de potássio 2M, pH 4,0, acrescido de 2% de glicose, e, a seguir, foram suspensas em cada uma de três soluções crioprotetoras, que foram: leite desnatado a 10%, sacarose a 10% e trealose a 10%. Em seguida as massas de levedura foram liofilizadas e, aos 0, 10, 40 e 90 dias após o processo de liofilização, foram determinadas suas viabilidades. Para todos os crioprotetores, as culturas de levedura que passaram pelo tratamento de acúmulo da trealose endógena apresentaram maior viabilidade após a liofilização do que aquelas que não passaram pelo tratamento. Dentre os crioprotetores testados, a solução de leite desnatado a 10% foi o que proporcionou melhor crioproteção às células de levedura.