Modeling the Growth Inhibition Kinetics of Baker's Yeast by Potassium Sorbate Using Statistical Approaches

Potassium sorbate is widely used as a preservative in food products. The inhibition kinetics of yeast growth by potassium sorbate was determined in order to predict the inhibition mechanism and develop an antimicrobial activity model. Linear regression resulted in uncompetitive growth inhibition using different concentrations of nutrients in liquid media containing yeast extract, malt extract (YM broth) and potassium sorbate. At 30°C, constant K s of YM broth to yeast was 0.254%, maximum growth rate (μ max ) of yeast was 0.008 min ‐1 , and inhibition constant (K i ) of potassium sorbate to yeast growth was 0.324%. This statistical method could reliably determine the growth inhibition mechanism and kinetics.