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Yeasts in an industrial malting ecosystem

  • Original Paper
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Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

Abstract

The malting ecosystem consists of two components: the germinating cereal grains and the complex microbial community. Yeasts and yeast-like fungi are an important part of this ecosystem, but the composition and the effects of this microbial group have been largely unknown. In this study we surveyed the development of yeasts and yeast-like fungi in four industrial scale malting processes. A total of 136 malting process samples were collected and examined for the presence of yeasts growing at 15, 25 and 37°C. More than 700 colonies were isolated and characterized. The isolates were discriminated by PCR-fingerprinting with microsatellite primer (M13). Yeasts representing different fingerprint types were identified by sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene. Furthermore, identified yeasts were screened for the production of α-amylase, β-glucanase, cellulase and xylanase. A numerous and diverse yeast community consisting of both ascomycetous (25) and basidiomycetous (18) species was detected in the various stages of the malting process. The most frequently isolated ascomycetous yeasts belonged to the genera Candida, Clavispora, Galactomyces, Hanseniaspora, Issatchenkia, Pichia, Saccharomyces and Williopsis and the basidiomycetous yeasts to Bulleromyces, Filobasidium, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Sporobolomyces and Trichosporon. In addition, two ascomycetous yeast-like fungi (black yeasts) belonging to the genera Aureobasidium and Exophiala were commonly detected. Yeasts and yeast-like fungi produced extracellular hydrolytic enzymes with a potentially positive contribution to the malt enzyme spectrum. Knowledge of the microbial diversity provides a basis for microflora management and understanding of the role of microbes in the cereal germination process.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the staff of malthouses for help with the industrial trials. We acknowledge the technical staff of VTT for their skilful assistance, especially Tarja Nordenstedt and Merja Salmijärvi for microbiological assistance and Anne Heikkinen for assistance with the preparation of culture media. We thank Michael Bailey for critical reading of the manuscript. This research was supported by the Finnish Malting and Brewing Industry, by the TEKES, the National Technology Agency of Finland, and by the Raisio Group Research Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, Tietotie 2, Espoo, 02044 , VTT, Finland

    A. Laitila, A. Wilhelmson, S. Home & R. Juvonen

  2. Raisio plc, Research & Development, P.O. Box 101, 21201, Raisio, Finland

    E. Kotaviita

  3. Polttimo Companies Ltd, P.O. Box 22, 15141, Lahti, Finland

    J. Olkku

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  1. A. Laitila
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  2. A. Wilhelmson
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  3. E. Kotaviita
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  4. J. Olkku
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  5. S. Home
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  6. R. Juvonen
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Correspondence to A. Laitila.

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Laitila, A., Wilhelmson, A., Kotaviita, E. et al. Yeasts in an industrial malting ecosystem. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 33, 953–966 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-006-0150-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-006-0150-z

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