Background: Non-conventional yeasts (NCY) (i.e., non-Saccharomyces) may be used as alternative starters to promote biodiversity and quality of fermented foods and beverages (e.g., wine, beer, bakery products).
Methods: A total of 32 wine-associated yeasts (Campania region, Italy) were genetically identified and screened for decarboxylase activity and leavening ability. The best selected strains were used to study the leavening kinetics in model doughs (MDs). A commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used as the control. The volatile organic profiles of the inoculated MDs were analyzed by solid phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS).
Results: Most of strains belonged to the NCY species Hanseniaspora uvarum, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia kudriavzevii, Torulaspora delbruekii, and Zygotorulaspora florentina, while a few strains were S. cerevisiae. Most strains of H. uvarum lacked decarboxylase activity and showed a high leaving activity after 24 h of incubation that was comparable to the S. cerevisiae strains. The selected H. uvarum strains generated a different flavor profile of the doughs compared to the S. cerevisiae strains. In particular, NCY reduced the fraction of aldehydes that were potentially involved in oxidative phenomena.
Conclusions: The use of NCY could be advantageous in the bakery industry, as they can provide greater diversity than S. cerevisiae-based products, and may be useful in reducing and avoiding yeast intolerance.
Keywords: Hanseniaspora spp.; bakery products; leavening ability; non-conventional yeasts; volatile organic compounds (VOC).