Influence of low-frequency ultrasound on Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii: Effects on mead fermentation and bioactive properties

• Grant number: 24/19375-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: February 27, 2025
• End date: February 26, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Eliana Setsuko Kamimura
• Grantee: Handray Fernandes de Souza
• Supervisor: Juliana Maria Leite Nobrega de Moura Bell
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of California, Davis (UC Davis), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/12187-7 - Application of water kefir in co-fermentation with Saccharomyces boulardii for the development of probiotic mead (physicochemical, microbiological, sensory characteristics, in vitro digestibility and effect on metabolic profile in an in vivo model), BP.DR

Abstract

Mead is a beverage containing between 4% and 14% (v/v) ethanol, produced by the alcoholic fermentation of a dilute solution of honey and the action of suitable yeasts. The most commonly used species in mead production is Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae). However, recently the use of Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) has been reported for the production of this beverage. In this study we are proposing an interesting novelty which consists of applying low-frequency, low-intensity ultrasound (US) to stimulate the growth of S. boulardii and evaluate the effects on fermentation, antihypertensive, antidiabetic and bioactive properties of mead. Therefore, this study will evaluate different combinations of frequencies and duration of US treatment on a strain of S. boulardii; determine the best US treatment conditions on S. boulardii to stimulate yeast growth; develop mead using S. boulardii yeast treated with US. evaluate the effects of US-treated S. boulardii on mead fermentation parameters; and evaluate the antihypertensive, antidiabetic and bioactive properties of mead obtained from US-treated S. boulardii.