Abstract
The production of biomolecules using agro-industrial by-products as feedstock is a growing trend worldwide. Selenium (Se) is a trace element essential for health, and the Se-enrichment of yeast biomass can enhance its benefits. This study investigated the feasibility of the production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Se-enriched biomass using a medium composed of corn bran and soybean bran acid hydrolysates as carbon and nitrogen sources in a stirred-tank reactor. After hydrolysis, hydrolysates presented complex composition and high concentrations of sugars, proteins, and minerals. The use of a stirred-tank bioreactor leads to the production of 9 g/L S. cerevisiae biomass enriched with 236.93 μg/g Se, and 99% cell viability. Likewise, the combination of sugarcane molasses and soybean bran hydrolysate was effective for cell growth of a probiotic strain of S. cerevisiae with a 24.08% β-glucan content. The results demonstrated that starchy acid hydrolysates are low-cost and efficient substrates for the production of yeast biomass and derivate products and may contribute to further studies for a sustainable development of biorefinery technologies.
Highlights
The consumption of yeast biomass brings several health benefits
The present study aims to evaluate the production of Se-enriched yeast biomass and probiotic yeast biomass in a stirred-tank reactor using a medium composed of agro-industrial by-products as carbon and nitrogen sources
The major sugar release in corn bran can be related to biomass composition since starch corresponds about to 32–49% of this biomass [35,36]
Summary
The consumption of yeast biomass brings several health benefits. Nutritional yeasts can be divided into probiotics and prebiotics (metabolites isolated from biomass) [1]. Probiotic yeasts belong to a group of living microorganisms whose consumption in adequate amounts confers health benefits [2]. In animals, they balance the gut microbiota, improve dry matter digestibility [3], and assist in health maintenance. Some desirable characteristics for probiotic yeasts are tolerance to pH and bile salts, hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, antioxidant, and biosecurity properties [4,5]. These abilities ensure the capacity to grow inside the digestive tract and the gut microbiome, and the control of pathogens [4,5]
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