Evaluation of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in the fermentation of wine, beer and cider for the development of new beverages

Non-Saccharomyces yeasts were evaluated for their fermentation properties and the production of pleasant fruity aromas in three industrial media (beer, wine and cider). A total of 99 yeasts were screened for aroma production using a simple olfactory plate assay. Of these, 21 yeasts were further evaluated for their aroma profile and fermentation capacity using wort, grape and apple juice. The most promising yeasts were Galactomyces geotrichum (three strains), Kazachstania zonata, Kluyveromyces lactis, Lindnera meyerae, Pichia kluyveri, Starmera caribae, Yarrowia lipolytica and Saccharomycodes ludwigii. This study confirms the potential of non-conventional yeasts to produce pleasant aroma compounds under relevant fermentation conditions. In general, differences in the medium composition had less impact on the overall aroma profile than the choice of yeast. This study is the first to simultaneously evaluate multiple non-conventional yeasts in three different industrial media. The results reported here are a good starting point for the development of novel fermented beverages.