Empleo de eritrosina para el estudio de la viabilidad de levaduras en procesos de fermentación alcohólica

ARÁOZ J.; CÁRDENAS G.; RUÍZ M.; GUSILS C.

Tucumán

Jornada; XVIII Reunión Técnica Nacional de la Caña de Azúcar; 2012

Sociedad Argentina de Técnicos de la Caña de Azúcar

Alcoholic fermentation is a process that involves the use of yeasts to obtain alcohol from sugar. Controlling yeast viability is highly important for this process to succeed. Erythrosine is a dye that can be used in the counting chamber, instead of methylene blue, which is conventionally utilized.. The present work aimed to compare the performance of erythrosine and methylene blue in determining cell viability. Both dyes were used in parallel to analyze 100 samples from different fermentation process stages. Results were analyzed by regression and it was observed that they differed slightly, so there were no significant differences between using either dye. Apart from that, erythrosine presents additional advantages, such as the fact that it is prepared more easily and quickly, it does not stain microscopy equipment and it reveals better contrasts between live and dead cells. These assets make erythrosine a more attractive alternative.