Page 27 - FoodFocusThailand No.229 April 2025

SPECIAL FOCUS

Another important flavor compound is isoamyl alcohol and
isoamyl acetate, which contribute to banana- and melon-like
flavors. One commercial awamori shōchū product (the traditional
shōchū from Okinawa, Japan) named “SHō KAMIMURA,” is
produced from yeast that overproduction isoamyl alcohol and
isoamyl acetate. This yeast was isolated from hibiscus flowers
in Okinawa and further developed to overproduce these important
flavor compounds. As described above, integrating scientific
knowledge into alcohol production is highly beneficial. It not only
increases product quality but also diversifies offerings, thereby
enhancing customer satisfaction.

More Information Service Info C002

flavor, taste, color, and overall quality of alcoholic เอกสารอ้างอิง / References
products. Recent studies demonstrated that flavor Capece, A. and Romano, P., 2019. Yeasts and their metabolic impact on
compounds from the yeast fermentation step acquire the wine flavour. Yeasts in the Production of Wine, pp.43-80.
largest portion. Therefore, using the appropriate Chen, X., Song, C., Zhao, J., Xiong, Z., Peng, L., Zou, L., Shen, C. and Li,
S. cerevisiae strain for each alcoholic beverage is Q., 2024. Application of strain selection technology in alcoholic
beverages: a review. Foods, 13(9), p.1396.
essential. Examples of commercial S. cerevisiae strains Hutkins, R.W., 2008. Microbiology and technology of fermented foods. John
are EC1118 (commercial wine yeast) and Kyokai No. 7 Wiley & Sons.
(commercial sake yeast), which acquire the desired Negoro, H. and Ishida, H., 2022. Development of sake yeast breeding and
characteristics for those beverages. analysis of genes related to its various phenotypes. FEMS Yeast
Research, 22(1), p.foac057.
Yeast Strain Development to Enhance News Magazine of the Society for Industrial Microbiology and
Biotechnology January/February/March 2021 V.71 N.1 •
the Quality of Alcoholic Beverages www.simbhq.org
Recently, several attempts have been made to improve Sake Types: Every Major Grade & Style Explained (2021)
the quality of alcoholic beverages by using appropriate Stewart, G.G., Hill, A.E. and Russell, I., 2013. 125th anniversary review:
developments in brewing and distilling yeast strains. Journal of the
yeast strains. These efforts include screening yeast Institute of Brewing, 119(4), pp.202-220.
strains from vineyards for wine production and developing
new strains from existing commercialized ones. In Japan,
yeast strain development is particularly popular, and
a significant amount of research is dedicated to this topic.
Importantly, the developed yeast strain should not be
classified as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
To achieve this, conventional mutagenesis by
—creating random mutation through ultraviolet irradiation
or chemical mutagens followed by screening for suitable
yeast strains—is commonly used and widely accepted
in the food and beverage industries. For example, the
ethanol toxicity tolerance sake yeast (strain Kyokai No. 11)
was developed from Kyokai No. 7. Comparing all
non-distilled alcoholic beverages; sake has the highest
amount of alcohol (16 – 20%), which is toxic to the yeast
cells. During fermentation, yeast under ethanol stress
can release undesired compounds, i.e., amino acids,
leading to a bitter taste in sake. Interestingly, sake
fermented with Kyokai No. 11 strain has a significant
amount of amino acids and a smoother taste compared
with Kyokai No. 7 strain.
Case Study: Yeast Strain Development in
Japan’s Wine and Sake Industries
Moreover, yeast strain development to increase the
productivity of the desired flavor compounds is commonly
applied in Japanese sake and shōchū production. Ethyl
caproate, which contributes to the apple- and pineapple-
like flavor, is the key flavor compound in premium sake.
Sake with a higher ethyl caproate amount is more likely
to win awards in sake competitions. In the meantime,
increasing the level of other flavor compounds, such as
2-phenyl ethanol (which contributes to the rose- and
honey-like flavor) and linalool (which imparts citrus- and
flower-like flavor), could potentially diversify sake’s flavor
profile and taste, enhancing customer satisfaction.
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