Kvasny Prum. 1976; 22(12): 268-272 | DOI: 10.18832/kp1976040

Effects of nitrites upon brewing yeast.Peer-reviewed article

J. ŠAVEL, M. PROKOPOVÁ, J. ŠATAVA

The article deals with the effects nitrites have upon the main bottom fermentation of brewing yeast. Sensitivity of yeast to the presence of nitrites increases with decreasing temperature and also with decreasing number of yeast units. Nitrites in 5 to 20 mg of NO₂ per ! l concentration suppress yeast propagation, prevent thorough fermentation and deteriorate sedimentation. In the presence of nitrites yeast cells have generally tendency to grow in size, except one strain the cells of which grow also longer. In brewing process nitrites are produced through the reduction of nitrates by wort bacteria. The higher is the temperature, concentration of nitrates and numbers of wort bacteria the higher is the amount of produced nitrites. In breweries nitrite originate in water containing nitrates, in which yeast is kept prior to starting. It is very difficult to trace nitrites in individual stages of brewing process by applying conventional analytic methods, since nitrites produced by reduction are immediately bound by wort yeast. In closing paragraphs effects of higher nitrites concentration upon the main fermentation are discussed in detail.
(In Czech, English summary only)

Keywords: brewing yeast, nitrites, dermentation

Published: December 1, 1976