The yeast beast: a search for the best carbohydrate for the highest rate of fermentation in S. cerevisiae

Abstract

The rate of fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or yeast, can be impacted by the type of carbohydrate used. We wanted to explore the effect of glucose, lactose, and refined sucrose on the rate of ethanol production in yeast. Several studies have looked at the impact of temperature, pH, and salt concentration on fermentation, but this study will focus on the differences of ethanol production between monosaccharides and disaccharides. We conducted four, ten minute trials for the three types of sugar, measuring ethanol production with an ethanol probe. Our results suggest that disaccharides like lactose cannot undergo efficient fermentation but sucrose can in comparison to glucose. Future studies could involve testing how the size of the carbohydrate’s chemical structures impacts its ability to enter the cell membrane and undergo fermentation.