# US 4,397,877 A · Heat treatment of active dried yeast and product thereof

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- Number: US 4,397,877 A
- Document ID: US4397877A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/213,362
- Filed: 1980-12-05
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1980-12-05
- Assignees: The Great Western Sugar Company
- Inventors: Arthur H. Freytag
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397877A

## CPC

- C12G 1/0203: {by microbiological or enzymatic treatment}
- C12N 1/005: {after treatment of microbial biomass not covered by C12N1/02 - C12N1/08}
- C12P 7/06: Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- C12G: WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES (beer C12C); PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES C12C OR C12H
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Active dried yeast is treated to beneficiate subsequent fermentation activity and/or fermentation products of the yeast and to produce a beneficiated active yeast product by heating the dried yeast to a temperature of about 30.degree. to about 60.degree. C. for at least about 2 hours prior to utilization of the yeast in a fermentation process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating previously dried yeast containing less than about 20% moisture, by weight, to increase its activity when used in fermentation processes which comprises the steps of: heating said previously dried, active dried yeast to a temperature in the range of about 30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C.; and maintaining said yeast at about 30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. for at least 2 hours,
whereby the resulting treated yeast exhibits increased activity when used in fermentation process.

### Claim 2

A method of improving the color, flavor and aroma of a fermented alcoholic beverage formed in a fermentation process employing active dried yeast, comprising the steps of:
heating said previously dried active dried yeast containing less than about 20% moisture, by weight, to a temperature in the range of about 30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C.;
maintaining said yeast at about 30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. for at least 2 hours; and
then employing said treated active dried yeast in a fermentation process to produce a fermented alcoholic beverage; whereby said resulting fermented alcoholic beverage has improved color, flavor and aroma.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the dried yeast is heated for about 3 to about 30 hours.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2)

The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the dried yeast is heated for about 4 to about 20 hours.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2)

The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the yeast is heated to a temperature of about 35.degree. to about 55.degree. C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2)

The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein the yeast is heated to a temperature of about 45.degree. to about 55.degree. C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2)

The method of claims 1 or 2 which further comprises employing the yeast in a fermentation mixture of a fermentation process after the yeast has been heated.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 which further comprises subjecting the fermentation mixture to less than atmospheric pressures during the fermentation process.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the alcoholic beverage is wine.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The active dried yeast products produced by the process of claim 1.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The product produced by the method of claim 3.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The product produced by the method of claim 4.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The product produced by the method of claim 5.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The product produced by the method of claim 6.