Aureobasidium pullulans Fermentation Aid for Fruit Mash

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Solution Overview

Problem

Spontaneous fermentation of fruit juices and mashes often results in incomplete or faulty fermentation due to insufficient yeast power, lack of nutrients, and unfavorable conditions, leading to issues like residual sweetness and fermentation inhibition.

Innovation Solution

The use of specific Aureobasidium pullulans strains (DSM 14940 or DSM 14941) as a fermentation aid, applied as an aqueous suspension to accelerate and complete fermentation, either directly in the fruit mash or on the fruit surface, effectively displacing interfering microorganisms and ensuring rapid, complete, and clean fermentation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If spontaneous fermentation is used with naturally occurring yeasts, then no additional yeast nutrients or interventions are needed, but fermentation is often incomplete or faulty due to insufficient yeast power and unfavorable conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefermentation process simplicityVSAvoidfermentation completion
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Aureobasidium pullulans acts as an intermediary organism between the naturally occurring yeasts and the fermentation substrate. It colonizes the fruit surface first, creates favorable conditions, and facilitates the subsequent action of alcoholic yeasts, thereby ensuring complete fermentation without requiring complex nutrient additions or interventions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If pure culture yeasts are added to accelerate fermentation, then fermentation speed increases, but fermentation may still get stuck and quality of the fermentation product deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefermentation speedVSAvoidfermentation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Aureobasidium pullulans is applied in advance to the fruit surface before alcoholic fermentation begins. It colonizes the surface, consumes competing microorganisms, and creates favorable conditions for the subsequent introduction of pure culture yeasts, ensuring both rapid and stable fermentation without stuck fermentations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional chemical sprays are used to combat plant diseases, then disease protection is effective, but toxic residues remain in fruits and resistance development occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplant disease protectionVSAvoidtoxic residues and resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using chemical sprays that leave toxic residues, the patent employs Aureobasidium pullulans, a beneficial fungus that naturally occurs on fruit surfaces. This organism converts the potential harm of microbial competition into benefit by protecting the fruit from pathogens like Botrytis cinerea and preventing gray mold rot, while being safe for consumption and free from resistance issues

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach ensures rapid and complete fermentation, preventing fermentation errors and reducing the risk of secondary pathogens, resulting in high-quality alcoholic beverages with no residual sweetness or fermentation defects.

Implementation Method 1

For the production of alcoholic beverages from fruit by fermenting fruit juices or fruit mashes... Aureobasidium pullulans strains serve as producers of pullulan... act against other microorganisms present on plants or fruit surfaces... accelerating fermentation and/or means for completing the fermentation of fruits used

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFermentation: Fermentation

Data Source

PatentEP2501793B1Use of at least one microorganism of the genus aureobasidium pullulans in the fermentation of fruit
Publication Date: 2014.06.04 ERBER AG
  • EP2501793B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2501793B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2501793B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to the use of at least one microorganism belonging to the species Aureobasidium pullulans, selected from among Aureobasidium pullulans DSM 14940 or Aureobasidium pullulans DSM 14941, as a fermentation aid for fruits.