Resumo

YEGRES, F et al. Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the manufacturing of Cocuy liquor. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2003, vol.23, n.1, pp.51-54. ISSN 1315-2556.

    Liquor cocuy is an alcoholic beverage produced by fermentation and a subsequent distillation process of Agave cocui juice by the communities northwest Venezuela. This study was included in the "Agave cocui Program", which purpose was to rescue this traditional productive activity. Due to the lack of information about this native product fermentative yeasts, alcohol production optimization, and use of distillation residue (nasty wine) as culture medium was investigated. Isolates with the best fermentative capacity were selected and identified by morphological and metabolic studies. Sugars consumption of the yeast with highest fermentative capacity were compared. Effect of white commercial sugar and/or ammonium phosphate dibasic addition to juice was evaluated during the process. Sugars concentration was estimated with a refractometer, measurement of alcohol content of liquor with an hidrometer. The production of yeasts biomass grown in a broth with nasty wine was compared to that in a synthetic one by dry biomass weight determinations. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae role in the spontaneous fermentative process was confirmed. The results in situ proved the favorable effect of extra sugar (11 to 18°Brix) and ammonium phosphate (0,2 g/l). Fermentative period was reduced and liquor production was enhanced to 92%. Use of nasty wine was proposed to obtain yeasts biomass, as fermentation starter or as a source of high nutritive value for poultry and goat feeding. We recommend to support efforts to improve this local activity which represent an important source of income for the farmer at the semi-arid zone at the states of Falcón and Lara.

Palavras-chave : Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Agave cocui; licor cocuy; fermentación alcohólica.