Potential yeast growth and fermentation promoting activity of wheat gluten hydrolysates and soy protein hydrolysates during high-gravity fermentation

Abstract

Wheat gluten hydrolysates (WGH) and soy protein hydrolysates (SPH) were used to examine their effects on the growth and fermentation performance of yeast during high-gravity fermentation. Results showed that both the kind and the addition amount of hydrolysates had significant impacts on the biomass, viability, fermentability and ethanol yield of yeast cells. Worts supplemented with WGH and SPH (with the hydrolysis time of 24 h and 12 h, and the addition amount of 1.0% and 0.1%, respectively) increased 5.5% and 12.6% of net cell growth, 0.3% and 1.1% of fermentability, and 19.3% (v/v) and 23.7% (v/v) of ethanol yields, respectively. All these results indicated that both hydrolysates were effective and preferential nitrogen sources for yeast growth and fermentation. The moderate molecular weight distribution, the complexity of nitrogen source and the higher hydrophilic and basic amino acids contents in hydrolysates might be responsible for their specific bioactivity.