Screening Wild Yeast Strains for Alcohol Fermentation from Various Fruits

• Published in: Mycobiology 2011, 39(1), , pp.33-39
• Main Authors: Lee, Y.J., University of Incheon, Incheon, Republic of Korea, Choi, Y.R., University of Incheon, Incheon, Republic of Korea, Lee, S.Y., University of Incheon, Incheon, Republic of Korea, Park, J.T., Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, Shim, J.H., Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea, Park, K.H., University of Incheon, Incheon, Republic of Korea, Kim, J.W., University of Incheon, Incheon, Republic of Korea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol tolerance; AZUCAR EN SANGRE; BLOOD SUGAR; LEVADURA; LEVURE; Maltose utilization; SUCRE DU SANG; TOLERANCE; TOLERANCIA; Wine fermentation; YEASTS; 생물학
• ISSN: 1229-8093; 2092-9323
• DOI: 10.4489/MYCO.2011.39.1.033

Wild yeasts on the surface of various fruits including grapes were surveyed to obtain yeast strains suitable for fermenting a novel wine with higher alcohol content and supplemented with rice starch. We considered selected characteristics, such as tolerance to alcohol and osmotic pressure, capability of utilizing maltose, and starch hydrolysis. Among 637 putative yeast isolates, 115 strains exhibiting better growth in yeast-peptone-dextrose broth containing 30% dextrose, 7% alcohol, or 2% maltose were selected, as well as five α-amylase producers. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 26S rDNA gene classified the strains into 13 species belonging to five genera; Pichia anomala was the most prevalent (41.7%), followed by Wickerhamomyces anomalus (19.2%), P. guilliermondii (15%), Candida spp. (5.8%), Kodamaea ohmeri (2.5%), and Metschnikowia spp. (2.5%). All of the α-amylase producers were Aureobasidium pullulans. Only one isolate (NK28) was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. NK28 had all of the desired properties for the purpose of this study, except α-amylase production, and fermented alcohol better than commercial wine yeasts.