Maloalcoholic fermentation by immobilized Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Cells of Schizosaccharomyces pombe TMB 1138, which are capable of metabolizing-malate, was immobilized in calcium alginate gel to carry out maloalcoholic fermentation. Four milliliters of cell suspension containing about 2.0 X 10(7) cells were entrapped in 16 ml of sodium alginate solution in order to prepare 2% Na-alginate (w/v) gel bead. After activation by incubating at 28 degrees C for 24 h in grape juice, 300 beads of immobilized cells were inoculated into the fermentation medium. After fermentation was proceeded at 25 or 28 degrees C for 24 h by shaking, it could metabolize L-malate completely and the total acidity was also reduced. Under the same condition for batch fermentation, it was found that the utilization of L-malic acid was over 97% for the first 7 days in fermentation medium, 85% for the first 4 days in grape juice and 87% for the first 4 days in wine. Furthermore, for the continuous fermentation in wine, the conversion of L-malic acid reached 92% in 24 h and could be maintained at 75% in the following 9 days.