Propolis as a potential alternative for the control of Dekkera bruxellensis in bioethanol fermentation

Dekkera bruxellensis is one of the most important contaminant yeasts of alcoholic fermentation. The use of propolis, which can selectively target contaminating yeasts without affecting the starter one, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, could be a useful nonconventional strategy for controlling the growth of contaminant yeasts. The objective of this research was to evaluate four samples of propolis produced by Apis mellifera honeybees from different regions of Argentina as antimicrobial agents against the growth of D. bruxellensis and S. cerevisiae. Hydroalcoholic extracts of propolis were prepared with ethanol:water (70:30 v/v), and the specific absorbance and final concentration of the samples were evaluated. A qualitative in vitro assay in solid medium was performed with different propolis concentrations, and the evaluation of yeast growth was based on a qualitative scale. A quantitative in vitro assay in liquid medium was also performed to assess the yeast cell number, using two different propolis concentrations. The cell number of D. bruxellensis decreased 1.52 and 1.85 log cycles with the two propolis extracts utilised at a concentration of 4.5 mg mL-1 while the cell number of S. cerevisiae decreased 0.48 and 0.76 log cycles with the same samples of propolis. The results from both assays demonstrated the selectivity of propolis use on the yeast species, leading to a higher inhibition of D. bruxellensis growth. This indicates a good potential for using propolis at the concentration of 4.5 mg mL-1, as a nonconventional strategy to control the growth of D. bruxellensis without significantly affecting S. cerevisiae, the yeast starter of ethanol fermentation.