A method for screening anthocyanin-protective yeast based on mulberry anthocyanins and its application

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Anthocyanins are vital pigments and bioactive compounds in red wine, but degrade during fruit wine fermentation.
• Yeast significantly influences anthocyanin degradation, necessitating the identification of protective strains.
• Currently, effective anthocyanin-protective yeast strains are not readily available for industrial use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel method for screening yeast strains with anthocyanin-protective abilities.
• To identify high-efficiency yeast strains capable of preserving anthocyanins during fruit wine fermentation.
• To assess the impact of identified yeast strains on the quality attributes of mulberry wine.

Main Methods:

• Development of a "microplate fermentation-spectral characterization" method for high-throughput screening.
• Validation of the screening method through large-scale fermentation experiments (R² = 0.9802).
• Evaluation of anthocyanin retention, antioxidant activity, and color stability in mulberry wine fermented by selected yeast strains.

Main Results:

• Five high-efficiency anthocyanin-protective yeast strains were identified.
• Strain DYG5 demonstrated superior performance, achieving a 53.50% total anthocyanin retention rate, a 110.1% increase over commercial strains.
• DYG5 enhanced cyanidin-3-glucoside retention by 1162% and improved mulberry wine's antioxidant activity and color stability.

Conclusions:

• The developed microplate method effectively distinguishes yeast strains based on anthocyanin-protective capabilities.
• The identified high-efficiency yeast strains, particularly DYG5, offer significant potential for improving fruit wine quality and anthocyanin preservation.
• This research provides a foundation for developing superior yeast strains for the fruit wine industry, enhancing product value and stability.