ABSTRACT

This study was aimed at evaluating the performance Saccharomyces cerevisiae of palm wine on wine production and the efficiency in comparison of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the commercial yeast for alcoholic fermentation of fruit wine. S. cerevisiae was isolated from palm wine and two fruits (water melon and apple) were used for this investigation. Fermentation of the fruit must lasted for 6 days. During fermentation, aliquot samples were removed daily from the fermentation tank for analysis of pH, alcohol content, specific gravity, total solids, titratable acidity, using standard procedures. The result of water melon show changes in all parameters as fermentation progressed. The Ph and total solids decreased while the titration acidity, specific gravity and alcohol increased. The pH decreased from 2.7 prior to commencement of fermentation, to 1.90 at the end of the fermentation period of 6 days. Total solids decreased from initial 10.10% ± 0.14 to a final level of 5.05% ± 0.21. Specific gravity increases at initial 1.036% ± 0.00 to the final level of 1.042% ± 0.001, Titratable acidity increased from initial .0.45% ± 0.00 to 0.70% ± 0.01 and alcohol also increased from the 2' day of fermentation 2.30% ± 0.14 to 6th day of fermentation 5.50% ± 0.14. From the fermentation progressed in apple shows that the pH, total solids decreased while the titration acidity, Specific gravity and alcohol increased. The pH decreased from 2.00 prior to commencement of fermentation, to 0.90 at the end of the fermentation period of 6 days.. Total solids decreased from initial 10.29% ± 0.14 to a final level of 4.45% ± 0.07. Specific gravity increases at initial 1.028% ± 0.00 and increased at the final level to 1.034% ± 0.00 1. Titratable acidity increased from initial .0.51% ± 0.02 to 0.84% ± 0.01 and alcohol also increased from the 2' day o0f fermentation 2.40% ± 0.28 to 6th day of fermentation 5.84% ± 0.07. Sedimentation rate and ethanol tolerance of the palm wine isolates and commercial isolates shows that palm wine yeast produce in the laboratory has a higher sedimentation rate and ethanol tolerant than the commercial isolates. The study has revealed that acceptable wine could be produced from these fruits with the test yeast strain