Preparation of non-alcoholic naturally carbonated beverage using yeast isolate from whey beverage

Four pure yeast isolates from feta cheese whey beverage were phenotypically characterised and D1/D2 domain of 26S rRNA and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region were sequenced. These isolates were identified as Clavispora lusitaniae (84), Candida sp. YS12A (86), Clavispora lusitaniae (B82), and Candida hyderabadensis (S82). The fermentation potentials of all yeast isolates were determined in plum, amla, lemon, guava, kinnow, and pineapple, and Clavispora lusitaniae (84) was reported as the best yeast for carrying out fermentation with CO2 levels of 1.5 bar. Using Clavispora lusitaniae, a reliable, controllable, simple, and reproducible technology from astringent fruits has been developed for the production of non-alcoholic naturally carbonated beverage with improved tangy taste, appearance, aroma, extended shelf life, and retention of all the nutrients. This yeast on inoculation @ 0.5% in astringent in amla juice (13%), TSS adjusted to 16.0°B, and fermentetion at 20 ± 5°C for 36 h produces a new non-alcoholic naturally carbonated beverage. The physicochemical parameters of freshly prepared beverage juice 13%, pH 3.0, TSS 16.0°B, acidity 0.38%, Brix acid ratio 42.10, ascorbic acid 120.0 mg/100 ml. The physicochemical parameters did not change significantly during storage. The volatile components like propanol, butanol, acetaldehyde, methanol, ethyl acetate, and isopropanol were found to be absent while the percentage of ethanol was 1.16% after three months of storage. Shelf life of the beverage is three months under refrigerated conditions (4°C).