Isolation and Identification of Yeast Cells from Palm Wine in Ado Ekiti Southwest Nigeria

Investigations were carried out on yeast cells isolated from palm wine samples obtained from Ado Ekiti in southwest Nigeria. The isolates were characterized for certain attributes that enhanced ethanol production. Isolations were made from palm wines that stored for 10 days (240 hours). The investigations were performed on the following attributes, ethanol tolerance and sedimentation rates. The isolates include - strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, strain of S. globusus and Hanseiaspora uvarum. Fermentation of carbohydrates (sugars) was carried out. Results of the ethanol tolerance revealed a range 10 - 20 % (v/v), ethanol tolerance for the isolates. The sedimentation rate varies from 50 % to 92 %.