Yeasts Isolated From Urban Honeys: Diversity and Potential Application in Mead Production

Area of Science:

• * Food Microbiology
• * Fermentation Science
• * Oenology

Background:

• * Urban environments harbor diverse yeast populations.
• * Honey is a traditional substrate for fermentation.
• * Mead production relies on specific yeast starter cultures.

Purpose of the Study:

• * Isolate and identify yeasts from Polish urban honeys.
• * Evaluate their potential as mead (honey wine) starter cultures.
• * Compare the performance of selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains against a commercial starter.

Main Methods:

• * Yeast isolation and identification using culture-dependent methods.
• * Fermentation trials of trójniak-type mead using selected yeast strains.
• * Physicochemical analysis (ethanol, glycerol, acidity, polyphenols).
• * Antioxidant activity assays (ABTS, DPPH, RP).
• * Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for volatile compounds.
• * Sensory evaluation of produced meads.

Main Results:

• * 47 yeast isolates identified across eight genera, with Starmerella magnoliae predominant.
• * Three Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (CMIFS 189, 191, 208) selected for mead fermentation.
• * Fermented meads exhibited 12.22%-15.49% ethanol content.
• * CMIFS 191 produced mead with high extract, desirable aroma profile, and highest sensory acceptability.
• * Honey-derived S. cerevisiae strains demonstrated potential for mead production.

Conclusions:

• * Urban honeys are a viable source of novel yeast starters for mead.
• * Selected S. cerevisiae strains offer competitive performance compared to commercial starters.
• * Yeast strain selection significantly impacts mead quality, including aroma and sensory attributes.