The use of appropriate yeast strains allows to better control the fermentation during beverage production. Bee products, especially of stingless bees, are poorly explored as sources of fermenting microorganisms. In this work, yeasts were isolated from honey and pollen from Tetragonisca angustula (Jataí), Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Iraí), Frieseomelitta varia (Marmelada), and honey of Apis mellifera bees and screened according to morphology, growth, and alcohol production. Bee products showed to be potential sources of fermenting microorganisms. From 55 isolates, one was identified as Papiliotrema flavescens, two Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, five Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and nine Starmerella meliponinorum. The S. cerevisiae strains were able to produce ethanol and glycerol at pH 4.0-8.0 and temperature of 10-30 °C, with low or none production of undesirable compounds, such as acetic acid and methanol. These strains are suitable for the production of bioethanol and alcoholic beverages due to their high ethanol production, similar or superior to the commercial strain, and in a broad range of conditions like as 50% (m/v) glucose, 10% (v/v) ethanol, or 500 mg L-1 of sodium metabisulfite.
Keywords: Ethanol production; Honey; Stingless bees; Yeast selection.