Nutrient limitation as a basis for the apparent toxicity of low levels of ethanol during fermentation

The rate of alcohol production (per mg cell protein) bySaccharomyces cerevisiae declines as ethanol accumulates during fermentation. The results of these studies indicate that this initial decline in activity is not due to the presence of ethanol or to growth in its presence. Nutrient limitation is proposed as a major factor responsible for the decline in fermentative activity during the early stages of fermentation.