Effect of arabinose on glucose fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

It has recently been demonstrated (Borzani et al., 1956) that the mash obtained from Araucaria brasiliensis seeds by acid hydrolysis, when fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, give alcohol yields practically constant at pH values from 2.9 to 7.2. This fact represents a considerable increase of the yeast optimum pH interval. It has also been observed (Borzani et al., 1956) that glucose and arabinose were produced by the acid hydrolysis of the A. brasiliensis seeds. The hypothesis that arabinose could be responsible for the observed facts was suggested to us by Professor Renato Fonseca Ribeiro, and was confirmed in some preliminary experiments. This study deals with the effect of arabinose on the optimum pH interval of glucose fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This report also shows that the presence of arabinose increases the fermentation rate.