Biosorption of Vitamin B12 in Residual Brewery Yeast: Effect of the Application of Electric and Magnetic Fields

• Grant number: 24/13661-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Carmen Sílvia Fávaro Trindade
• Grantee: Diogo Macedo Mendes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

With the increase in vegetarianism, there is growing concern about vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to various health issues, including neurological problems. Therefore, it is essential to properly supplement this vitamin in a vegetarian diet to prevent disease. However, incorporating this vitamin into foods faces challenges due to its chemical instability. Yeast biomass is the second-largest by-product produced by the brewing industry. It is nutritionally rich, safe for consumption, has low added value, and has limited reuse. The cell wall and plasma membrane characteristics of vegetative cells and yeast spores possess interesting and desirable properties for carriers of bioactive molecules, which can be well-exploited. To promote the application of bioactive molecules in foods, it is essential to develop technologies that enable the creation of natural carriers that are compatible, stable, economical, and highly efficient in encapsulation, ensuring both the bioactivity and availability of these molecules. In this context, this project aims to study the process of encapsulating vitamin B12 in vegetative cells from residual brewer's yeast biomass, focusing on biosorption technology, and subsequently testing the efficiency enhancement through electroporation and magnetic fields. Considering the limited approach and scarcity of literature citing the application of electroporation in yeast for microencapsulation, this project has great potential for developing new projects and products.