Yeast and Fermentation Session
michael bradley, nalco company, naperville, IL, USA
ABSTRACT: Inconsistent yeast management practices can
negatively impact the consistency of fermentation and the quality of
beer produced. A new laboratory instrument for automated yeast activity
measurements is now offered by Nalco Company. The fundamental basis of
the technology is a fast, fluorescence generating reaction that targets
native yeast enzymes. The instrument’s interactive touch screen computer
guides the user through the sample preparation steps, which are
performed on a digital balance connected to the instrument and require
about 30 sec of hands-on time. Several key features differentiate this
new technology from the industry standard practices of microscopic cell
counting and viability staining. The sample preparation and reaction
monitoring procedures employed are completely non-subjective and
automated, meaning that anyone can perform the measurement without
introducing operator-to-operator variability. The results are
automatically logged by the instrument and made immediately available
over a network for integration into reports, databases, and control
systems. Finally, the activity levels measured with the system depend on
the number of viable cells in the sample, as well as the metabolic
activity (vitality) of the population. Examples will be presented of
successful application of this technology for optimizing propagation,
yeast pitching from a slurry, and fermentation monitoring in the brewing
industry.
Mike Bradley lives in the suburbs of Chicago and
works as an R&D scientist at Nalco Company, where he develops
microbial detection and control technologies to improve process
efficiencies for Nalco’s customers. Prior to working at Nalco, Mike
trained at the University of Chicago and the University of Florida,
where his research combined elements of bioinformatics, evolutionary
theory, and wet-lab approaches to explore biomolecular structures and
functions. Mike received his Ph.D. degree at the University of Illinois
Chicago for his thesis on yeast prion proteins.
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