Sugar, Yes Please: The Effects of Sucrose on the CO2 Production of Yeast

Abstract

In this experiment, we studied the effects of different concentrations of sucrose on the CO₂ production of Baker’s Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Baker’s Yeast uses anaerobic respiration due to a lack of oxygen, and because of this, the yeast resorts to glycolysis to produce ATP. By manipulating the concentration of sugar present, we can increase or decrease the amount of glucose that ultimately enters this process. We measured the CO₂ produced by our baseline group (2% Sucrose) and our two experimental groups (1% Sucrose and 5% Sucrose) by using a CO₂ probe. We expected the 5% sucrose concentration would produce the most CO₂ because more glucose would be present, resulting in an increased production of ATP. Our experiment showed that our hypothesis was supported. The results of this experiment can benefit those involved in baking, biofuels, and industrial ethanol industries in maximizing their yeast production.