ARS | Publication request: Production of D-Arabitol by a Newly Isolated Zygosaccharomyces Rouxii

Submitted to: Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 4, 2007
Publication Date: April 1, 2007
Citation: Saha, B.C., Sakakibara, Y., Cotta, M.A. 2007. Production of D-arabitol by a newly isolated Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. 34:519-523.

Interpretive Summary: Xylitol, a five-carbon sugar alcohol, has attracted much attention because of its potential use as a natural food sweetener, a dental caries reducer, and a sugar substitute for diabetics. It is currently produced chemically from xylose. It can also be produced from xylose by fermentation. However, xylose is expensive. There is a growing interest in the production of xylitol from a readily available and much cheaper substrate such as glucose. As a first step to produce xylitol from glucose via the D-arabitol route, we have isolated a yeast from honey bee hives. This research demonstrates that the newly isolated yeast is capable of utilizing high concentrations of glucose and produce D-arabitol as the major metabolic product in a very good yield. The yeast has potential to be used for production of xylitol from glucose via D-arabitol route.

Technical Abstract: A newly isolated Zygosaccharomyces rouxii NRRL 27,624 produced D-arabitol as the main metabolic product from glucose. In addition, it also produced ethanol and glycerol. The optimal conditions were: temperature 30 deg C, pH 5.0, 350 rpm, and 5% inoculum. The yeast produced 83.4 ± 1.1 g D-arabitol from 175 ± 1.1 g glucose L**-1 at pH 5.0, 30 deg C, and 350 rpm in 240 h with a yield of 0.48 g g**-1 glucose. It also produced D-arabitol from fructose, galactose, and mannose. The yeast produced D-arabitol and xylitol from xylose and also from a mixture of xylose and xylulose. Resting yeast cells produced 63.6 ± 1.9 g D-arabitol from 175 ± 1.8 g glucose L**-1 in 210 h at pH 5.0, 30 deg C, and 350 rpm with a yield of 0.36 g g**-1 glucose. The yeast has potential to be used for production of xylitol from glucose via D-arabitol route.