Interaction of 4-ethylphenol, pH, sucrose and ethanol on the growth and fermentation capacity of the industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PE-2

AbstractVolatile phenols such as 4-ethylphenol are produced from hydroxycinnamic acids byDekkera bruxellensis, an important yeast contaminating alcoholic fermentations. 4-ethylphenol results from the decarboxylation and reduction ofp-coumaric acid, a compound found in sugarcane musts. In wine, volatile phenols are responsible by sensorial alterations whereas in the context of bioethanol fermentation, little is known about their effects on the main yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we evaluated the interaction of 4-ethylphenol and pH, sucrose and ethanol on the growth and fermentation capacity of the industrial strain ofS. cerevisiae PE-2. A central compound rotational design was utilized to evaluate the effect of 4-ethylphenol, pH, ethanol and sucrose concentration on the yeast maximum specific growth rate ( µmax) in microplate experiments in YPS medium (Yeast extract-Peptone-Sucrose), at 30  °C. Following, single-cycle fermentations in YPS medium, pH 4.5, 17% sucrose, at 30 °C, with 4-ethylphenol in concentrations of 10 and 20 mg L−1 being added at the start or after 4  h of fermentation, were carried out. 4-ethylphenol affected µmax ofS. cerevisiae in situations that resemble the conditions of industrial bioethanol production, especially the low pH of the fermentation medium and the high ethanol concentration because of the anaerobic sucrose uptake. The addition of 4-ethylphenol on fermentation resulted in significant effect on the cell yeast concentration, pH...
Source: World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology - Category: Microbiology Source Type: research