Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Nitrogen Composition on Fermentation Performance of Brewer's Yeast and the Absorption of Peptides with Different Molecular Weights

  • Published:
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Four kinds of worts with different nitrogen compositions were used to examine their effects on fermentation performance of brewer's yeast. The absorption pattern of peptides with different molecular weights (Mw) in yeast cells during wort fermentation was also investigated. Results showed that both the nitrogen composition and level had significant impacts on the yeast biomass accumulation, ethanol production, and free amino nitrogen and sugars consumption rates. Worts supplemented with wheat gluten hydrolysates increased 11.5% of the biomass, 5.9% of fermentability, and 0.6% of ethanol content and decreased 25.6% of residual sugar content during wort fermentation. Moreover, yeast cells assimilated peptides with various Mw differently during fermentation. Peptides with Mw below 1 kDa decreased quickly, and the rate of assimilation was more than 50% at the end of fermentation, while those with Mw above 10 kDa almost could not be assimilated by yeast. All these results further indicated that the level and composition of wort nitrogen had significant impacts on the growth and fermentation performances of brewer's yeast, and peptides with Mw below 1 kDa were one of preferred nitrogen sources for brewer's yeast.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Clapperton, J. F. (1971). Simple peptides of wort and beer. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 77, 177–180.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Taylor, J. R. N., & Boyd, H. K. (1986). Free a-amino nitrogen production in sorghum beer mashing. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 37, 1109–1117.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Jones, M., & Pierce, J. (1964). Absorption of amino acids from wort by yeasts. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 70, 307–315.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Boulton, C., & Quain, D. (2001). Brewing yeast and fermentation. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lei, H., Zhao, H., Yu, Z., & Zhao, M. (2012). Effects of nitrogen level on fermentation performance of brewer's yeast and the formation of flavor volatiles. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 166, 1562–1574.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Jones, A. M., & Ingledew, W. M. (1994). Fuel alcohol production: appraisal of nitrogenous yeast foods for very high gravity wheat mash fermentation. Proc. Biochem., 29, 483–488.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Pickerell, A. T. W. (1986). The influence of free alpha-amino nitrogen in sorghum beer fermentations. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 92, 568–571.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Pugh, T. A., Maurer, J. M., & Pringle, A. T. (1997). The impact of wort nitrogen limitation on yeast fermentation performance and diacetyl. Tech. Quart. MBAA., 34, 185–189.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Perpète, P., Santos, G., Bodart, E., & Collin, S. (2005). Uptake of amino acids during beer production: the concept of a critical time value. Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, 63, 23–27.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lekkas, C., Stewart, G. G., Hill, A. E., Taidi, B., & Hodgson, J. (2007). Elucidation of the role of nitrogenous wort components in yeast fermentation. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 113, 3–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Piddock, M. P., Kreisz, S., Heldt-Hansen, H. P., Nielsen, K. F., & Olsson, L. (2009). Physiological characterization of brewer's yeast in high-gravity beer fermentations with glucose or maltose syrups as adjuncts. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 84, 453–464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Fumi, M. D., Galli, R., Lambri, M., Donadini, G., & Faveri, D. M. D. (2009). Impact of full-scale brewing processes on lager beer nitrogen compounds. European Food Research and Technology, 230, 209–216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Blieck, L., Toye, G., Dumortier, F., Verstrepen, K. J., Delvaux, F. R., Thevelein, J. M., et al. (2007). Isolation and characterization of brewer's yeast variants with improved fermentation performance under high-gravity conditions. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73, 815–824.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kitagawa, S., Mukai, N., Furukawaa, Y., Adachia, K., Mizunob, A., & Iefujib, H. (2008). Effect of soy peptide on brewing beer. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 105, 360–366.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ikeda, K., Kitagawa, S., Tada, T., Iefuji, H., Inoue, Y., & Izawa, S. (2011). Modification of yeast characteristics by soy peptides: cultivation with soy peptides represses the formation of lipid bodies. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 89, 1971–1977.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hartmann, R., & Meisel, H. (2007). Food-derived peptides with biological activity: from research to food applications. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 18, 163–169.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Gibbs, B. F., Zougman, A., Masse, R., & Mulligan, C. (2004). Production and characterization of bioactive peptides from soy hydrolysate and soy-fermented food. Food Research International, 37, 123–131.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yu, Z., Zhao, H., Wan, C., Sun, G., & Zhao, M. (2011). The dynamic changes of proton efflux rate in Saccharomyces pastorianus strains during high gravity or very high gravity brewing. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 117, 176–181.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Convention, E. B. (2005). Analytica-microbiologica EBC (Section 3 yeast method, 3.2.1.1 methylene blue stain). Nürnberg, Germany: Fachverlag Hans Carl.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Convention, E. B. (2009). Analytica-EBC (Section 9 beer method, 9.10 free amino nitrogen in beer by spectrophotometry). Nürnberg, Germany: Fachverlag Hans Carl.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Júnior, M. M., Batistote, M., & Ernandes, J. R. (2008). Glucose and fructose fermentation by wine yeasts in media containing structurally complex nitrogen sources. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 114, 199–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Izaw, S., Ikeda, K., Takahashi, N., & Inoue, Y. (2007). Improvement of tolerance to freeze–thaw stress of baker's yeast by cultivation with soy peptides. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 75, 533–537.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Lekkas, C., Hill, A. E., Taidi, B., Hodgson, J., & Stewart, G. G. (2009). The role of small wort peptides in brewing fermentations. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 115, 134–139.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Cruz, S. H., Batistote, M., & Ernandes, J. R. (2003). Effect of sugar catabolite repression in correlation with the structural complexity of the nitrogen source on yeast growth and fermentation. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 109, 349–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. OA'Connor-Cox, E. S. C., & Ingledew, W. M. (1989). Wort nitrogenous sources—their use by brewing yeasts: a review. Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, 47, 102–108.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Ingledew, W. M., & Patterson, C. A. (1999). Effect of nitrogen and concentration on the uptake of peptides by a larger yeast in continuous culture. Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, 57, 9–17.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Batistote, M., Cruz, S. H., & Ernandes, J. R. (2006). Altered patterns of maltose and glucose fermentation by brewing and wine yeasts influenced by the complexity of nitrogen source. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 112, 84–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. St-Gelais, D., Roy, D., Hache, S., Desjardins, M. L., & Gauthier, S. F. (1993). Growth of nonproteolytic Lactococcus lactis in culture medium supplemented with different casein hydrolyzates. Journal of Dairy Science, 76, 3327–3337.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Calderbank, J., Rose, A. H., & Tubb, R. S. (1985). Peptide removal from all malt and adjunct worts by Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 240. Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 91, 321–324.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the Key Technology R&D Program of Guangdong Province (Nos. 2012A080107005 and 2011A020102001), the National Science Technology Supporting Project for 12th Five-Year Plan (No. 2013AA102108-6) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2012ZM0069) for their financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Light Industry and Food Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Fen Mo, Haifeng Zhao, Hongjie Lei & Mouming Zhao

Authors
  1. Fen Mo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Haifeng Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hongjie Lei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mouming Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Haifeng Zhao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mo, F., Zhao, H., Lei, H. et al. Effects of Nitrogen Composition on Fermentation Performance of Brewer's Yeast and the Absorption of Peptides with Different Molecular Weights. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 171, 1339–1350 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-013-0434-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-013-0434-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation