PROCESS FOR FERMENTING AGAVE SAP IN A CONTINUOUS CULTURE USING NON-SACCHAROMYCES YEASTS.

摘要

The present invention refers to a process for fermenting agave sap in a continuous culture using non-Saccharomyces yeasts. The limiting step within the industry of alcoholic beverages by fermentation is precisely the fermentation step, since it may last from 3 days to 2 weeks, so that the interest of this invention is to reduce the operation times, increase the productivity without reducing the bouquet of the final beverage. The fermentation in continuous culture significantly increases the productivity of the fermentation step compared to the traditional fermentation used in the industry of alcoholic beverages. On the other hand, this invention uses non-Saccharomyces yeasts since they synthesise desired aromas, thus providing perfumes to the final beverage. However, the use of yeasts in continuous cultures is limited, due to the low fermentative capacity thereof. This invention presents a process for fermenting agave sap in continuous culture at high concentrations of sugar under con ditions similar to those used in the tequila industry, thus reaching final concentrations of ethanol and productivities similar to those obtained by yeasts universally used in this field: Saccharomyces.