Effect of Formation of Eutectic Mixture on Freeze-Thaw Damage of Yeast

Abstract

The effect of formation of eutectic mixture between NaCl and H_2O on freezethaw damage of Saccharomyces cerevisiae which was suspended in NaCl was studied. When the suspension was frozen, survival ratio of the yeast decreased markedly after the temperature to form eutectic mixture. The maximal death occurred just before the completion of formation of eutectic mixture. Besides NaCl, KCl, succinic acid disodium salt and L-alanine also showed the same effect on the freeze-thaw damage of the yeast. On the other hand, formation of eutectic mixture did not damage Saccharomyces rouxii, a halo-tolerant yeast.