Specificity of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in removing carbohydrates by fermentation

The specificity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast on the removal of carbohydrates by fermentation was studied. The common monosaccharides, D-glucose, D-fructose, D-Mannose, and D-galactose were completely removed; D-glucuronic acid and D-ribose were partially removed; but D-Xylose, D-rhamnose, and L-sorbose were not removed and were completely resistant. Of four glycosides, methyl and phenyl (alpha- and beta-D-glucopyranosides, three of the four were partially removed and methyl P-D-glucopyranoside was not removed. The disaccharides, maltose, sucrose, and turanose were completely removed, while cellobiose, lactose, and melibiose were completely resistant. Isomaltose and (alpha,alpha-trehalose were partially removed. Maltotriose and raffinose were partially removed, but isomaltotriose and melezitose were completely resistant. The tetrasaccharides, maltotetraose, isomaltotetraose, and acarbose, were completely resistant. Further, the yeast enzymes did not alter any of the resistant carbohydrates by transglycosylation or condensation reactions or by any other types of reactions. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.