Effects of heat shock and ethanol stress on the viability of aSaccharomyces uvarum (carlsbergensis) brewing yeast strain during fermentation of high gravity wort

Summary The effects of heat shock and ethanol stress on the viability of a lager brewing yeast strain during fermentation of high gravity wort were studied. These stress effects resulted in reduced cell viability and inhibition of cell growth during fermentation. Cells were observed to be less tolerant to heat shock during the fermentation of 25°P (degree Plato) wort than cells fermenting 16°P wort. Degree Plato (^oP) is the weight of extract (sugar) equivalent to the weight of sucrose in a 100 g solution at 20°C. Relieving the stress effects of ethanol by washing the cells free of culture medium, improved their tolerance to heat shock. Cellular changes in yeast protein composition were observed after 24 h of fermentation at which time more than 2% (v/v) ethanol was present in the growth medium. The synthesis of these proteins was either induced by ethanol or was the result of the transition of cells from exponential phase to stationary phase of growth. No differences were observed in the protein composition of cells fermenting 16°P wort compared to those fermenting 25°P wort. Thus, the differences in the tolerance of these cells to heat shock may be due to the higher ethanol concentration produced in 25°P wort which enhanced their sensitivity to heat shock.     

Comparison of corn steep liquor with other nutrients in the fermentation of D-Xylose by Pichia stipitis CBS 6054

Summary Pichia stipitis CBS 6054 ferments D-Xylose to ethanol in a medium containing corn steep liquor as the only source of nitrogen, amino acids, vitamins and other nutrients. The ethanol yield and fermentation rate compare favorably to those obtained with media containing more expensive sources of nitrogen, vitamins and amino acids. Corn steep liquor is a good source of nutrients that can support growth and fermentation activity of this xylose fermenting yeast.     

Production of 21% (v/v) ethanol by fermentation of very high gravity (VHG) wheat mashes

Summary Very high gravity wheat mashes containing 300 g or more sugares per liter were prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis of starch and fermented with a commercial preparation of active dry yeast. The active dry yeast used in this study was a blend of several strains ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae. The fermentation was carried out at 20°C at different pitching rates (inoculation levels) with and without the addition of yeast extract as nutrient supplement. At a pitching rate of 76 million cells per g of mash an ethanol yield of 20.4% (v/v) was obtained. To achieve this yeast extract must be added to the wheat mash as nutrient supplement. When the pitching rate was raised to 750 million cells per g of mash, the ethanol yield increased to 21.5% (v/v) and no nutrient supplement was required. The efficiency of conversion of sugar to ethanol was 97.6% at the highest pitching rate. This declined slightly with decreasing pitching rate. A high proportion of yeast cells lost viability at high pitching rates. It is suggested that nutrients released from yeast cells that lost viability and lysed, contributed to the high yield of ethanol in the absence of any added nutrients.     

Relationship Between the Sterol Content of Yeast Cells and Their Fermentation Activity in Grape Must

In grape must of high sugar concentration, yeast growth, the viability rate of “resting” yeast cells, and fermentation activity were stimulated under certain conditions of aeration and temperature. This stimulation might be interpreted as being a result of the yeast cell sterol content. The addition of certain sterols to the fermenting medium was able to increase this sterol content. According to aeration conditions of the medium, which determined the sterol content of yeasts, the sterols added in the medium acted as (i) growth factors, (ii) fermentation inhibitors, and (iii) survival factors for the yeast.     

Fermentation of a wheat straw acid hydrolysate by Bacillus stearothermophilus T-13 in continuous culture with partial cell recycle

The effects of pretreatment by overliming and addition of nutrients (yeast extract, tryptone and ammonium chloride) on fermentation of mixed sugars derived by acid hydrolysis of the hemicellulose fraction of wheat straw with Bacilllus stearothermophilus strain T-13, an l-lactate dehydrogenase deficient mutant was investigated in continuous culture with partial cell recycle. Pretreatment and addition of nutrients to the hydrolysate improved the fermentation considerably. Sugar utilization, ethanol yields and productivities obtained in the treated hydrolysate with added nutrients were comparable to those obtained in a synthetic medium. Sugar utilization in the synthetic medium and treated and crude hydrolysates with added nutrients were 86%, 89% and 56%, respectively, compared with 45% in the treated hydrolysate without extra nutrients. Ethanol yields obtained were 0.32 g g⁻¹ sugars and 0.38 g g⁻¹ sugars in the treated hydrolysate with and without extra nutrients, respectively, compared with 0.24 g g⁻¹ sugars in the crude hydrolysate with added nutrients. Continuous culture with partial cell recycle significantly increased the rate of ethanol production (0.60–1.02 g litre⁻¹ h⁻¹) in the various media and the stability of the mutant strain compared with conventional continuous culture.     

Comparative lipidomic profiling of xylose‐metabolizing S. cerevisiae and its parental strain in different media reveals correlations between membrane lipids and fermentation capacity

Phospholipids (PLs) serve as the foundation for structure and function in most cell membranes. In order to reveal the correlations between PLs composition and fermentation performance of cells, a comparative lipidomics study was carried out using a recombinant xylose fermenting yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae 424A(LNH‐ST) and its parental strain 4124. Profiling of yeast lipids was performed using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)‐MS/MS, leading to identification of 123 PL species. PL compositions were determined for both strains grown in rich medium (yeast extract peptone), limited medium (yeast nitrogen base), and ammonia fiber expansion pretreated corn stover hydrolysate. Principal component analysis of lipidomic data revealed that the PL profile for both strains varied significantly depending upon cultivating media composition. Further analysis of different classes of PLs revealed that the phosphatidylinositol/phosphatidylserine (PI/PS) ratio was closely related to cell growth rates. Both strains possessed higher phosphatidylcholine (PC) levels at an expense of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) levels when entering stationary phase and the PC/PE ratios showed consistency with glucose utilization rates. Interestingly, PI synthesis lagged behind when available nutrients were limited, and PI levels were closely correlated with xylose metabolism. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011; 108:12–21. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Isolation and utilization of indigenous yeast strain for brewing of millet beer (OYOKPO)

Three yeast strains were isolated from a spontaneously fermented native millet (Pennisetum typhoideum) malt beer (Oyokpo). One of the yeast isolates found to have the most highly fermenting capacity was characterised and identified as a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The yeast was then utilised as the pitching yeast in a subsequent controlled fermentation of millet wort at 20°C for 120 hours. Bitter leaf (Vernonia amagdalina) extract was used as the bittering and flavouring agent. The Oyokpo beer sample produced under these conditions was found to possess both chemical and organoleptic qualities comparable to some extent, to the conventional barley malt beer. At the end of fermentation, the pH, specific gravity, alcohol content, reducing sugar content and protein content of the beer were 4.11, 1.0308, 2.81% (v/v), 4.00 (mg/ml) and 0.84 (mg/ml) respectively.     

Improvement of ethanol production in very high gravity fermentation by horse gram (Dolichos biflorus) flour supplementation

AIMS: To determine the effect of osmotic stress on yeast and to investigate the protective role of horse gram flour during very high gravity (VHG) ethanol fermentation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Saccharomyces cerevisiae was inoculated into high sugar (30-40%, w/v) containing medium with and without supplementation of horse gram flour. The fermentation experiments were carried out in batch mode. The effect of 4 or 6% of horse gram flour to the medium on the metabolic behaviour and viability of yeast was studied. Significant increase in ethanol yield up to 50% and dramatic decrease in glycerol production up to 100% was observed in the presence of horse gram flour. The fermentation rate was increased from 3 to 5 days with increased viable cell count. The physical and chemical factors of horse gram flour may aid in reducing the osmotic stress of high gravity fermentation of ethanol as well as enhancing ethanol yield. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that horse gram flour not only reduced fermentation time but also enhanced ethanol production by better utilization of sugar. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Production of high ethanol concentration by using VHG sugar fermentation eliminates the expensive steps in the conventional process and saves time.     

Production of acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) in a continuous flow bioreactor using degermed corn and Clostridium beijerinckii

An examination of the sustainability of the long-term cultivation of C. beijerinckii BA101 in degermed corn/saccharified degermed corn based P2 medium has been described in this work. It was found that long-term continuous cultivation of C. beijerinckii BA101 in a degermed corn based medium was not possible due to the instability of the gelatinized degermed corn starch during storage often called “retrogradation”. Using this substrate, continuous ABE fermentation was run for 228 h, before the fermentation turned acidogenic. However continuous fermentations of saccharified degermed corn with normal and half P2 medium nutrients were successful. In saccharified degermed corn continuous fermentation, ABE concentration up to 14.28 g/L was achieved at a dilution rate of 0.03 h⁻¹. This work demonstrated that byproduct (germ/oil, corn fiber) credit can be obtained by fermenting saccharified degermed corn in continuous flow bioreactors. Additionally significant savings can be achieved by supplementing with half of normal P2 medium nutrients.     

Influence of Zn2+ and Fe3+ on polysaccharide production and mycelium/yeast dimorphism of Aureobasidium pullulans in batch cultivations

Cultivation of Aureobasidium pullulans in medium with a low concentration of yeast extract (0.4 g/l) led to a decrease in the growth rate early in the fermentation as compared to cultivations in medium with high concentration of yeast extract. When this medium was supplemented with zinc and iron the cultivation closely resembled that obtained in medium with high concentration of yeast extract (4.0 g/l). The culture retained a high growth rate throughout the fermentation and the initiation of the mycelial to yeast (M-Y) transition and the exopolysaccharide production was delayed. In a defined medium or in defined medium without iron only a little exopolysaccharide was produced and the yeast fraction of the total biomass at the onset of the stationary phase was 22%–25%. However, cultivation in the defined medium without zinc resulted in a high production of exopolysaccharide and an increased intensity of the M-Y transition, which led to a yeast fraction of 41%.     

Laboratory-scale production of acetoin plus diacetyl by Enterobacter cloacae ATCC 27613

Conditions for the laboratory-scale production of acetoin plus diacetyl by Enterobacter Cloacae ATCC 27613 were studied. Thirty-five g acetoin plus diacetyl/50 g sucrose were obtained when fermentation was carried out in 2. 5 liter medium containing 12.5 g peptone and 12. 5 g yeast extract, at pH 7.0, in a 5 liter conical flask on a shaker (240rpm) at 28–30°C for 48 hr. Recovery of pure diacetyl was 85% of the total plus diacetyl.     

Rapid ethanol fermentations using vacuum and cell recycle

Cell recycle and vacuum fermentation systems were developed for continuous ethanol production. Cell recycle was employed in both atmospheric pressure and vacuum fermentations to achieve high cell densities and rapid ethanol fermentation rates. Studies were conducted with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC No. 4126) at a fermentation temperature of 35°C. Employing a 10% glucose feed, a cell density of 50 g dry wt/liter was obtained in atmospheric-cell recycle fermentations which produced a fermentor ethanol productivity of 29.0 g/liter-hr. The vacuum fermentor eliminated ethanol inhibition by boiling away ethanol from the fermenting beer as it was formed. This permitted the rapid and complete fermentation of concentrated sugar solutions. At a total pressure of 50 mmHg and using a 33.4% glucose feed, ethanol productivities of 82 and 40 g/liter-hr were achieved with the vacuum system with and without cell recycle, respectively. Fermentor ethanol productivities were thus increased as much as twelvefold over conventional continuous fermentations. In order to maintain a viable yeast culture in the vacuum fermentor, a bleed of fermented broth had to be continuously withdrawn to remove nonvolatile compounds. It was also necessary to sparge the vacuum fermentor with pure oxygen to satisfy the trace oxygen requirement of the fermenting yeast.     

Use of an ion-exchange sponge to immobilise yeast in high gravity apple based (cider) alcoholic fermentations

Summary An ion-exchange sponge that can have a tailored surface charge has been used for yeast immobilisation in high original gravity (o.g. 1.106) cider fermentation. Continuous circulation of fermentation medium through columns containing weakly basic sponge encouraged yeast growth, decreased batch fermentation time and increased final ethanol concentration, possibly aided by sponge enhanced CO₂ removal from solution.     

Batch and continuous solid-phase fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke tubers

Two strains of Kluyveromyces marxianus were evaluated for their ability to ferment Jerusalem artichoke tuber pulp to ethanol under pH levels ranging from 2.0–6.3. Bacterial contamination was prevented in batch, solid-phase fermentation when pulp was initially adjusted to pH 3.5 or less, and maximal yeast populations occurred at pH 3.0–3.5. Fermentation times were also shortest for both yeast (13–18 h) and ethanol (48–64 h) production when pulp pH was in this range. However, ethanol yields (41–53% of theoretical) and fermentation efficiencies (68–78%) were somewhat lower than expected, with only 6.6–7.2% (v/v) ethanol produced by strain Y-1598 and 5.7–6.9% produced by strain Y-1550. Based on these parameters, the continuous solid-phase fermentor was operated for 396 h using strain Y-1598. The pH of pulp entering the fermentor was adjusted to 2.5 to compensate for partial neutralization by the mild steel of the fermentor. This resulted in fermenting pulp with a pH of 3.0–3.5, and therefore no contamination. Pulp exiting the fermentor after 72 h contained 6.9 × 10⁸ yeast cells/ml and 7.3% ethanol, which represented 55.9% of the theoretical yield and a fermentation efficiency of 73.3%. Further modifications (partial acid hydrolysis, finer grinding, etc.) should permit higher yields.     

FACTORS CONTROLLING THE SPORULATION OF YEASTS. I. THE PRESPORULATION PHASE

SUMMARY: Yeasts tend to dissociate into mixtures of cell types with different powers of sporulation; hence single cell isolates are recommended for sporulation studies. The ability of yeasts to produce 4-spored asci can be improved by single cell selection. Cells from actively fermenting cultures sporulate much better than those grown under aerobic conditions. Sporulating ability depends on fermentation 'age', reaching a maximum when 85–90% of the CO₂ has been evolved. Carbon dioxide assimilation in the presporulation phase appears essential for maximal sporulation, but complete anaerobiosis in this phase is detrimental to sporulating ability. Malt wort cultures of a baker's yeast have given remarkably constant figures, in successive tests, for sporulation; but some batches of wort have an adverse effect on sporulating ability. The same yeast, grown on Lodder-Rij's synthetic medium containing 4 or 8% (w/v) of glucose, is capable of 80% sporulation (proportion of cells forming asci) on sodium acetate agar, comparable to that obtainable with malt wort cultures. Sporulation is depressed by excess storage of fat, while storage of glycogen does not affect sporulating ability.     

Very high gravity ethanol fermentation by flocculating yeast under redox potential-controlled conditions

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Very high gravity (VHG) fermentation using medium in excess of 250 g/L sugars for more than 15 % (v) ethanol can save energy consumption, not only for ethanol distillation, but also for distillage treatment; however, stuck fermentation with prolonged fermentation time and more sugars unfermented is the biggest challenge. Controlling redox potential (ORP) during VHG fermentation benefits biomass accumulation and improvement of yeast cell viability that is affected by osmotic pressure and ethanol inhibition, enhancing ethanol productivity and yield, the most important techno-economic aspect of fuel ethanol production. RESULTS: Batch fermentation was performed under different ORP conditions using the flocculating yeast and media containing glucose of 201 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 3.1, 252 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 2.9 and 298 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 3.8 g/L. Compared with ethanol fermentation by non-flocculating yeast, different ORP profiles were observed with the flocculating yeast due to the morphological change associated with the flocculation of yeast cells. When ORP was controlled at [MINUS SIGN]100 mV, ethanol fermentation with the high gravity (HG) media containing glucose of 201 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 3.1 and 252 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 2.9 g/L was completed at 32 and 56 h, respectively, producing 93.0 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 1.3 and 120.0 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 1.8 g/L ethanol, correspondingly. In contrast, there were 24.0 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 0.4 and 17.0 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 0.3 g/L glucose remained unfermented without ORP control. As high as 131.0 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 1.8 g/L ethanol was produced at 72 h when ORP was controlled at [MINUS SIGN]150 mV for the VHG fermentation with medium containing 298 [PLUS-MINUS SIGN] 3.8 g/L glucose, since yeast cell viability was improved more significantly. CONCLUSIONS: No lag phase was observed during ethanol fermentation with the flocculating yeast, and the implementation of ORP control improved ethanol productivity and yield. When ORP was controlled at [MINUS SIGN]150 mV, more reducing power was available for yeast cells to survive, which in turn improved their viability and VHG ethanol fermentation performance. On the other hand, controlling ORP at [MINUS SIGN]100 mV stimulated yeast growth and enhanced ethanol production under the HG conditions. Moreover, the ORP profile detected during ethanol fermentation with the flocculating yeast was less fluctuated, indicating that yeast flocculation could attenuate the ORP fluctuation observed during ethanol fermentation with non-flocculating yeast.     

Very high gravity (VHG) ethanolic brewing and fermentation: a research update

There have been numerous developments in ethanol fermentation technology since the beginning of the new millennium as ethanol has become an immediate viable alternative to fast-depleting crude reserves as well as increasing concerns over environmental pollution. Nowadays, although most research efforts are focused on the conversion of cheap cellulosic substrates to ethanol, methods that are cost-competitive with gasoline production are still lacking. At the same time, the ethanol industry has engaged in implementing potential energy-saving, productivity and efficiency-maximizing technologies in existing production methods to become more viable. Very high gravity (VHG) fermentation is an emerging, versatile one among such technologies offering great savings in process water and energy requirements through fermentation of higher concentrations of sugar substrate and, therefore, increased final ethanol concentration in the medium. The technology also allows increased fermentation efficiency, without major alterations to existing facilities, by efficient utilization of fermentor space and elimination of known losses. This comprehensive research update on VHG technology is presented in two main sections, namely VHG brewing, wherein the effects of nutrients supplementation, yeast pitching rate, flavour compound synthesis and foam stability under increased wort gravities are discussed; and VHG bioethanol fermentation studies. In the latter section, aspects related to the role of osmoprotectants and nutrients in yeast stress reduction, substrates utilized/tested so far, including saccharide (glucose, sucrose, molasses, etc.) and starchy materials (wheat, corn, barley, oats, etc.), and mash viscosity issues in VHG bioethanol production are detailed. Thereafter, topics common to both areas such as process optimization studies, mutants and gene level studies, immobilized yeast applications, temperature effect, reserve carbohydrates profile in yeast, and economic aspects are discussed and future prospects are summarized.     

Improved properties of baker's yeast mutants resistant to 2-deoxy-D-glucose

We isolated spontaneous mutants from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast V1) that were resistant to 2-deoxy-D-glucose and had improved fermentative capacity on sweet doughs. Three mutants could grow at the same rate as the wild type in minimal SD medium (0.17% Difco yeast nitrogen base without amino acids and ammonium sulfate, 0.5% ammonium sulfate, 2% glucose) and had stable elevated levels of maltase and/or invertase under repression conditions but lower levels in maltose-supplemented media. Two of the mutants also had high levels of phosphatase active on 2-deoxy-D-glucose-6-phosphate. Dough fermentation (CO2 liberation) by two of the mutants was faster and/or produced higher final volumes than that by the wild type, both under laboratory and industrial conditions, when the doughs were supplemented with glucose or sucrose. However, the three mutants were slower when fermenting plain doughs. Fermented sweet bakery products obtained with these mutants were of better quality than those produced by the wild type, with regard to their texture and their organoleptic properties.     

Improvements in ethanol tolerance of Kluyveromyces fragilis in jerusalem artichoke juice

Alcoholic fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke juice, a natural complex medium, allowed the production of 13% (v/v) ethanol utilizing an inulin-fermenting strain of Kluyveromyces fragilis, strongly sensitive to ethanol. However, the fermentation of a simple medium with a similar concentration of fermentable sugars (235 g/L) as saccharose stopped prematurely when only 7% (v/v) ethanol had been produced. Differences in the two fermentation profiles were attributed to the significantly lower ethanol tolerance of K. fragilis IGC 2671 in the simple medium with 2% saccharose as compared with diluted J.a. juice with a similar sugar concentration, in fact, (1) in diluted J. a. juice, growth was possible up to 8% (v/v) added ethanol compared with 6% (v/v) in simple medium and (2) ethanol-induced inhibition of the specific growth and fermentation rate as well as ethanol-induced stimulation of the specific death rate were much more drastic in simple medium. Present results show that (1) the complex composition of the medium used for alcoholic fermentation plays a marked role in the ability of the yeast to tolerate and produce ethanol; (2) J. a. juice proved a very appropriate medium for a productive alcoholic fermentation, namely, in processes based on strains with a low ethanol resistance; and (3) to characterize and compare the ethanol tolerance of fermenting yeasts, the standardization of the medium composition must be taken in consideration.     

Inhibition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia stipitis</Emphasis> fermentation of hydrolysates from olive tree cuttings

The ethanolic fermentation of liquid fractions (hydrolysates) issued from dilute acid pre-treatment of olive tree biomass by Pichia stipitis is reported for the first time. On the one side, P. stipitis has been reported as the most promising naturally occurring C5 fermenting microorganism; on the other side, olive tree biomass is a renewable, low cost, and lacking of alternatives agricultural residue especially abundant in Mediterranean countries. The study was performed in two steps. First, the fermentation performance of P. stipitis was evaluated on a fermentation medium also containing the main inhibitors found in these hydrolysates (acetic acid, formic acid, and furfural), as well as glucose and xylose as carbon sources. The effect of inhibitors, individually or in a mixture, on kinetic and yield parameters was calculated. In a second step, hydrolysates obtained from 1% (w/w) sulfuric acid pre-treatment of olive tree biomass at 190°C for 10 min were used as a real fermentation medium with the same microorganism. Due to inhibition, effective fermentation required dilution of the hydrolysate and either overliming or activated charcoal treatment. Results show that ethanol yields obtained from hydrolysates, ranging from 0.35 to 0.42 g/g, are similar to those from synthetic medium, although the process proceeds at lower rates. Inhibiting compounds affect the fermentation performance in a synergistic way. Furfural is rapidly assimilated by the yeast; acetic acid and formic acid concentrations decrease slowly during the process. Activated charcoal or overliming detoxification improve the fermentability of diluted hydrolysates.