Immobilized Cell Technology in Beer Production

This article describes recent advances in immobilized yeast cell technology and the current commercial options practically applicable to the brewing process for rapid fermentation and/or maturation in the production of malt beverages with defined organoleptic/analytical spectra.Research conclusions to date consider adsorption or attachment to preformed and regenerable supports as the most suitable means of immobilizing yeast for large-scale industrial applications. A broader knowledge of yeast physiology is needed to understand multistep biosyntheses and regeneration of co-factors and enzymes under growth-limited conditions. Reactor design is dictated by the type of application, the support chosen, and the desired mass-transfer requirements.The technology of cell immobilization has the advantage of providing a very cost-effective framework for the production of beer and diverse malt beverages. Expect to see an increasingly important impact of this technology on the development of a new process area in the brewing industry.