Research Update:Beer Yeast.

  seminal trace...Beer lees Extract.Active Dry Yeast.5:1;10:1Extract.Yeast extract.CAS. No.008013-01-2.Yeast extract ferment derivative; Extract of yeast; Yeast extract....

 


   Phytochemical info of Beer Yeast.Beer lees

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 Definition:Beer Yeast.Beer lees are majorly composed of
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   Research Update:Beer Yeast.

  Over-expression of GSH1 gene and disruption of PEP4 gene in self-cloning industrial brewer's yeast.:Int J Food Microbiol. 2007 Jul 31;Wang ZY, He XP, Zhang BR.The Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Yeast, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.

 Foam stability is often influenced by proteinase A, and flavor stability is often affected by oxidation during beer storage. In this study, PEP4, the gene coding for proteinase A, was disrupted in industrial brewing yeast. In the meantime, one copy of GSH1 gene increased in the same strain. GSH1 is responsible for gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, a rate-limiting enzyme for synthesis of glutathione which is one kind of important antioxidant and beneficial to beer flavor stability. In order to improve the brewer's yeast, plasmid pYPEP, pPC and pPCG1 were firstly constructed, which were recombined plasmids with PEP4 gene, PEP4's disruption and PEP4's disruption+GSH1 gene respectively. These plasmids were verified to be correct by restriction enzymes' assay. By digesting pPCG1 with AatII and PstI, the DNA fragment for homologous recombination was obtained carrying PEP4 sequence in the flank and GSH1 gene internal to the fragment. Since self-cloning technique was applied in the study and the modified genes were from industrial brewing yeast itself, the improved strains, self-cloning strains, were safe to public. The genetic stability of the improved strains was 100%. The results of PCR analysis of genome DNA showed that coding sequence of PEP4 gene had been deleted and GSH1 gene had been inserted into the locus of PEP4 gene in self-cloning strains. The fermentation ability of self-cloning strain, SZ-1, was similar to that of the host. Proteinase A could not be detected in beer brewed with SZ-1, and GSH content in the beer increased 35% compared to that of the host, Z-1.

  Yeasts isolated from industrial maltings can suppress Fusarium growth and formation of gushing factors.:J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2007 Aug 7;Laitila A, Sarlin T, Kotaviita E, Huttunen T, Home S, Wilhelmson A.VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, 02044, VTT, Finland, arja.laitila@vtt.fi.

 Fusarium infection of barley and malt can cause severe problems in the malting and brewing industry. In addition to being potential mycotoxin producers, Fusarium fungi are known to cause beer gushing (spontaneous overfoaming of beer). Cereal-derived bacteria and yeasts are potential biocontrol agents. In this study, the antifungal potential of selected yeasts (12 strains) derived from the industrial malting ecosystem was studied in vitro with a plate-screening assay. Several ascomycetous yeast strains showed antagonistic activity against field and storage moulds, Pichia anomala being the most effective strain. The effects of P. anomala VTT C-04565 (C565) were examined in laboratory scale malting with naturally contaminated barley exhibiting gushing potential. P. anomala C565 restricted Fusarium growth and hydrophobin production during malting and prevented beer gushing. Grain germination was not disturbed by the presence of yeast. Addition of P. anomala C565 into the steeping seemed to retard wort filtration, but the filtration performance was recovered when yeast culture was combined with Lactobacillus plantarum VTT E-78076. Well-characterized microbial cultures could be used as food-grade biocontrol agents and they offer a natural tool for tailoring of malt properties.

  Physiological analysis of yeast cells by flow cytometry during serial-repitching of low-malt beer fermentation.:J Biosci Bioeng. 2007 May;103(5):451-6.

 At the end of beer brewing fermentation, yeast cells are collected and repitched for economical reasons. Although it is generally accepted that the physiological state of inoculated yeast cells affects their subsequent fermentation performance, the effect of serial-repitching on the physiological state of such yeast cells has not been well clarified. In this study, the fermentation performance of yeast cells during serial-repitching was investigated. After multiple repitchings, the specific growth rate and maximum optical density (OD(660)) decreased, and increases in isoamyl alcohol, which causes an undesirable flavor, and residual free amino acid nitrogen (FAN) concentrations were observed. The physiological state of individual cells before inoculation was characterized by flow cytometry using the fluorescent dyes dehydrorhodamine 123 (DHR) and bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol (OXN). The fluorescence intensities of DHR, an indicator of reactive oxygen species (ROSs), and OXN, which indicates membrane potential, gradually increased as the number of serial-repitching cycles increased. Fluorescence intensity correlated strongly with cell growth. The subsequent fermentation performance can be predicted from this correlation.

  Identification of bottom-fermenting yeast genes expressed during lager beer fermentation.:Yeast. 2007 Jul;24(7):599-606.

 It has been proposed that bottom-fermenting yeast strains of Saccharomyces pastorianus possess at least two types of genomes. Sequences of genes of one genome [S. cerevisiae (Sc)-type] have been found to be highly homologous (more than 90% identity) to S. cerevisiae S288C sequences, while those of the other [Lager (Lg)-type] are less so. To identify and discriminate Lg-type from Sc-type genes expressed during lager beer fermentation, normalized cDNA libraries were constructed and analysed. From approximately 22 000 ESTs, 3892 Sc-type and 2695 Lg-type ORFs were identified. Expression patterns of Sc- and Lg-type genes did not correlate with particular cell functions in KEGG classification system. Moreover, 405 independent clones were isolated that have no significant homology with sequences in the S288C database, suggesting that they include the bottom-fermenting yeast-specific (BFY) genes. Most of BFY genes have significant homology with the S. bayanus genome.

  Bread, beer and wine: Saccharomyces cerevisiae diversity reflects human history.:Mol Ecol. 2007 May;16(10):2091-102.Legras JL, Merdinoglu D, Cornuet JM, Karst F.INRA/ULP, UMR Sant¨¦ de la Vigne et Qualit¨¦ du Vin, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, BP 20507, 68021 Colmar Cedex, France. legras@colmar.inra.fr

 Fermented beverages and foods have played a significant role in most societies worldwide for millennia. To better understand how the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the main fermenting agent, evolved along this historical and expansion process, we analysed the genetic diversity among 651 strains from 56 different geographical origins, worldwide. Their genotyping at 12 microsatellite loci revealed 575 distinct genotypes organized in subgroups of yeast types, i.e. bread, beer, wine, sake. Some of these groups presented unexpected relatedness: Bread strains displayed a combination of alleles intermediate between beer and wine strains, and strains used for rice wine and sake were most closely related to beer and bread strains. However, up to 28% of genetic diversity between these technological groups was associated with geographical differences which suggests local domestications. Focusing on wine yeasts, a group of Lebanese strains were basal in an F(ST) tree, suggesting a Mesopotamia-based origin of most wine strains. In Europe, migration of wine strains occurred through the Danube Valley, and around the Mediterranean Sea. An approximate Bayesian computation approach suggested a postglacial divergence (most probable period 10,000-12,000 bp). As our results suggest intimate association between man and wine yeast across centuries, we hypothesize that yeast followed man and vine migrations as a commensal member of grapevine flora.


  Study on CTP production from CMP by beer yeast cell immobilized in PVA.:Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao. 2007 Mar;23(2):323-6. Chinese.Yang HY, Qian SJ, Li GW.China Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China. yhongyi@sina.com

 With PVA as the carrier, the frozen beer yeast cells were immobilized for production of CTP from CMP. we explored the optimal condition of the immobilization from the aspects of the type, concentration of the PVA, and the immobilizing methods of cells In all 8 continuous batch of fermentation under the reactional condition of the immobilized cells, the conversion rate of CTP were maintained about 85% - 95%. Moreever, the storage stability of immobilized cells were investigated, and the products was also isolated and identifided by HPLC.

  Study on mechanism of beer yeast adsorbing copper ion by spectroscopy.:Guang Pu Xue Yu Guang Pu Fen Xi. 2006 Dec;26(12):2334-7. Chinese.Han RP, Yang GY, Zhang JH, Bao GL, Shi J.Department of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.

 Copper ions adsorption by beer yeast was studied by AAS, FTIR, SEM/EDS etc. The quantity of copper biosorption by NaOH-treated yeast and acetone-treated yeast increased significantly, while the esterification of carboxylate functionalities and the methylation of amino group presented in the cell walls of yeast resulted in a marked decrease in copper adsorption. These results show that amino and carboxylate groups in yeast cell wall play a great role in binding copper. According to IR spectra, the dominating bands near 1 652, 1 539 and 1 237 cm(-1) are assigned to amide I , amide II and amide IlI, the characteristic IR absorption of protein which could be one of the significant components of cell walls. The peak near 1 456 cm(-1) is attributable to the bending stretching of CH2- and CH3-. The changes in the spectra of the copper-exposed yeast biomass were in the stretch of hydroxyl groups or amino groups, which shifted from 3 392 to 3 404 cm' , and in the symmetrical stretch of carboxylate groups, which shifted from 1 405 to 1 383 cm(-1). The components and structure of the exposed-copper biomass remain intact. SEM/EDS analysis shows that the main elements of beer yeast are carbon, oxygen, and magnesium, while the surface of yeast is rough, and the copper-loaded yeast only binds little copper.

  Yeasts in foods and beverages: impact on product quality and safety.:Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2007 Apr;18(2):170-5. Epub 2007 Feb 1. Review.Fleet GH.School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. g.fleet@unsw.edu.au

 The role of yeasts in food and beverage production extends beyond the well-known bread, beer and wine fermentations. Molecular analytical technologies have led to a major revision of yeast taxonomy, and have facilitated the ecological study of yeasts in many other products. The mechanisms by which yeasts grow in these ecosystems and impact on product quality can now be studied at the level of gene expression. Their growth and metabolic activities are moderated by a network of strain and species interactions, including interactions with bacteria and other fungi. Some yeasts have been developed as agents for the biocontrol of food spoilage fungi, and others are being considered as novel probiotic organisms. The association of yeasts with opportunistic infections and other adverse responses in humans raises new issues in the field of food safety.

  RAPD with microsatellite as a tool for differentiation of Candida genus yeasts isolated in brewing.:Food Microbiol. 2007 May;24(3):305-12. Epub 2006 May 19.Walczak E, Czapli¨½ska A, Barszczewski W, Wilgosz M, Wojtatowicz M, Robak M.Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Food Science Agricultural University of Wroc?aw, Norwida 25, 50-375 Wroc?aw, Poland.

 Fifteen wild yeast strains were isolated in two factories of a lager brewing company in Poland. Their identification with API 32C system showed mainly the presence of Candida sake species (7/15). To differentiate the isolates, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with (GTG)(5), (GAC)(5), (GACA)(4) microsatellite primers and M13 core sequence (5'-GAG GGT GGC GGT TCT-3') were chosen. The results of patterns similarity are presented as dendrograms for each RAPD analysis and for overall patterns. On the overall patterns, all isolates identified as C. sake, except Strain No. 1, were regrouped in one cluster. Collection strain C. sake CBS 617 was similar in 46% to the cluster with six isolates (Strain Nos. 3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14). The second reference strain C. sake CBS 159 and the Strain No. 1 were regrouped with other Candida species (collection strains) showing, respectively, only 20% and 42% of similarity to other C. sake strains. The similarity based on the overall dendrogram between isolate Nos. 3, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14 and C. sake CBS 617 was 49%. Between those strains and other Candida, the similarity was only 37%.

  Isolation and characterization of brewer's yeast variants with improved fermentation performance under high-gravity conditions.:Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007 Feb;73(3):815-24. Epub 2006 Dec 8.Blieck L, Toye G, Dumortier F, Verstrepen KJ, Delvaux FR, Thevelein JM, Van Dijck P.Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.

 To save energy, space, and time, today's breweries make use of high-gravity brewing in which concentrated medium (wort) is fermented, resulting in a product with higher ethanol content. After fermentation, the product is diluted to obtain beer with the desired alcohol content. While economically desirable, the use of wort with an even higher sugar concentration is limited by the inability of brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus) to efficiently ferment such concentrated medium. Here, we describe a successful strategy to obtain yeast variants with significantly improved fermentation capacity under high-gravity conditions. We isolated better-performing variants of the industrial lager strain CMBS33 by subjecting a pool of UV-induced variants to consecutive rounds of fermentation in very-high-gravity wort (>22 degrees Plato). Two variants (GT336 and GT344) showing faster fermentation rates and/or more-complete attenuation as well as improved viability under high ethanol conditions were identified. The variants displayed the same advantages in a pilot-scale stirred fermenter under high-gravity conditions at 11 degrees C. Microarray analysis identified several genes whose altered expression may be responsible for the superior performance of the variants. The role of some of these candidate genes was confirmed by genetic transformation. Our study shows that proper selection conditions allow the isolation of variants of commercial brewer's yeast with superior fermentation characteristics. Moreover, it is the first study to identify genes that affect fermentation performance under high-gravity conditions. The results are of interest to the beer and bioethanol industries, where the use of more-concentrated medium is economically advantageous.


  Simultaneous control of apparent extract and volatile compounds concentrations in low-malt beer fermentation.:Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2006 Dec;73(3):549-58. Epub 2006 Jul 25.

 Volatile compounds cause undesirable flavor when their concentrations exceed threshold values in beer fermentation. The objective of this study is to develop a system for controlling apparent extract concentration, which indicates the fermentation degree and which should be decreased below a targeted value at a fixed time under a constraint of tolerable amounts of volatile compounds. In beer fermentation, even though the production of volatile compounds is suppressed by maintaining a low fermentation temperature, a low temperature causes a delay in the control of apparent extract concentration. Volatile compound concentration was estimated on-line, and the simulation of apparent extract consumption and volatile compound production was performed. To formulate various beer tastes and conserve energy for attemperation, optimal temperature profiles were determined using a genetic algorithm (GA). The developed feedback control of the brewing temperature profile was successfully applied, and apparent extract and volatile compound concentrations at a fixed time reached their target concentrations. Additionally, the control technique developed in this study enables us to brew a wide variety of beers with different tastes.

  Physiological properties of some yeast strains.:Acta Biol Hung. 2006 Jun;57(2):261-73.Oprean L, Gaspar E, Lengyel E, Cristea V.Faculty of Food Technology, "Lucian Blaga" University of Sibiu, Romania. oprean_letitia@yahoo.com

 Twenty yeast strains have recently been isolated in pure cultures from natural and industrial sources and identified based mainly on physiological properties. The majority of the strains (15) are alcohologenic belonging to the genus Saccharomyces and comprise two brewer's (beer) yeast strains (S. carlsbergensis= S. uvarum A and B), two baker's yeast strains (S. cerevisiae CA and CP), one spirit yeast strain (S. cerevisiae CF) and ten wine yeast strains (S. cerevisiae var. ellipsoideus = S. ellipsoideus 1, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9; S. oviformis 2, 5 and 7; and S. uvarum 10). The other 5 yeast strains belong to different species: Kloeckera apiculate, Candida mycoderma (Mycoderma vini), Pichia membranaefaciens, Rhodotorula glutinis and Torulopsis holmii, respectively.

  Genetically modified industrial brewing yeast with high-glutathione and low-diacetyl production.:Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao. 2005 Nov;21(6):942-6. Chinese.Zhang JN, He XP, Guo XN, Liu N, Zhang BR.The Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Yeast, Institute of Microbiology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100080, China.

 Recombinant plasmid pICG was constructed by replacing the internal fragment of a-acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) gene (ILV2) with a copy of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene (GSH1) and copper chelatin gene (CUP1) from the industrial brewing yeast strain YSF31. YSF31 was transformed with plasmid pICG linearized by Kpn I and Pst I. A recombinant strain with high-glutathione and low-diacetyl production was selected. The results of fermentation in 100-L bioreactor showed that the lagering time of beer produced for recombinant strain T2 was shortened by 3 days and the shelf life of the beer was prolonged about 50%. It may be more acceptable for the commercial application, as it does not contain foreign DNA.

  Yeast (different sources and levels) as protein source in diets of reared piglets: effects on protein digestibility and N-metabolism.:J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2005 Apr-Jun;89(3-6):184-8.Spark M, Paschertz H, Kamphues J.Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, D-30173 Hannover, Germany.

 The aim of this study was to examine the feeding value of different yeasts as a substitute for soya bean meal, the main protein source in diets of weaned piglets. Tested two yeasts were already available on the market, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces lactis (beer and milk yeast), which replaced 40% of the soya bean meal in the diets. Furthermore, a yeast (Kluyveromyces fragilis) grown on whey, a side-product of cheese production, was used in increasing concentrations in the diets, so that increasing amounts of the soya bean meal (20%, 40% and 60%) could be replaced. As proved in these experiments, a replacement of 60% of the soya protein with whey yeast protein had positive effects on the performances (daily weight gain) and on the N-metabolism and did not have negative effects on the health or the faeces consistency. The whey yeast stands out because of its high protein quality (N-digestibility and N-retention). Furthermore, the replacement of soya bean meal with highly digestible yeasts is welcomed under the aspect of animal health, because of the reduction of anti-nutritive soya components (stachyose, glycinin) in diets of weaned piglets. The controlled production conditions of the yeasts result in a high feed safety; in addition, the yeast as an end-of-pipe-product is a resource conserving and valuable feed. A main stimulus for the use of yeasts, however, in a food production controlled by economic standpoints, is their price and the costs of other competing feeds.

  A laboratory yeast strain suitable for spirit production.:Yeast. 2004 Dec;21(16):1375-89.Schehl B, M¨¹ller C, Senn T, Heinisch JJ.Universit?t Hohenheim, Institut f¨¹r Lebensmitteltechnologie, Fachgebiet G?rungstechnologie (150f), Garbenstrasse 25, D-70593 Stuttgart, Germany.

 Yeast strains of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae currently in use for the production of consumable alcohols such as beer, wine and spirits are genetically largely undefined. This prevents the use of standard genetic manipulations, such as crossings and tetrad analysis, for strain improvement. Furthermore, it complicates the application of the majority of modern methods developed in yeast molecular biology. Here we used two haploid laboratory strains with suitable auxotrophic markers for the construction of a genetically well defined, prototrophic diploid production strain. This strain was tested for its fermentative and sensory performances in comparison to commercially available yeasts. Three different fruit mashes (cherries, plums and pears) were fermented in a 90 kg scale. These were then subjected to distillation and used for the production of spirits with a final ethanol content of 40% (v/v). Fermentation parameters assayed included growth, sugar utilization, ethanol production and generation of volatile compounds, higher alcohols and glycerol. The spirits were also tested for their sensory performances and the data obtained statistically consolidated. Our results clearly demonstrate that this laboratory strain does not display any disadvantage compared with commercial yeasts in spirit production for any of the parameters tested, yet it offers the potential to apply both classical breeding and modern molecular genetic techniques for adjusting yeast physiology to special production schemes.


  Evidence for S. cerevisiae fermentation in ancient wine.:J Mol Evol. 2003;57 Suppl 1:S226-32.Cavalieri D, McGovern PE, Hartl DL, Mortimer R, Polsinelli M.Bauer Center for Genomics Research, Harvard University, 7 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Dcavalieri@cgr.harvard.edu

 Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the principal yeast used in modern fermentation processes, including winemaking, breadmaking, and brewing. From residue present inside one of the earliest known wine jars from Egypt, we have extracted, amplified, and sequenced ribosomal DNA from S. cerevisiae. These results indicate that this organism was probably responsible for wine fermentation by at least 3150 B.C. This inference has major implications for the evolution of bread and beer yeasts, since it suggests that S. cerevisiae yeast, which occurs naturally on the surface bloom of grapes, was also used as an inoculum to ferment cereal products.

  Analysis of estrogenic activity of foodstuffs and cigarette smoke condensates using a yeast estrogen screening method.:Food Chem Toxicol. 2003 Apr;41(4):543-50.

 Hormone mimics present in our environment are of concern because such agents could potentially reduce fertility and increase sexual dysfunction in wildlife and increase the risk of breast and reproductive organ cancers in man. Therefore, monitoring of the levels of estrogenic compounds in environmental materials is essential in order to prevent their exposure to man and to discover potential harmful effects on human health. In the present study, we analyzed estrogenic activity in 23 foodstuffs and cigarette smoke condensate samples extracted with an organic solvent, using the yeast estrogen screening (YES) system. Three soybean-related foodstuffs (soy sauce, tofu, miso), beer, coffee and cigarette smoke condensates showed clear estrogenic activity in the YES system. HPLC fractionations followed by the YES of these YES-positive samples revealed the presence of many estrogenic compounds in cigarette smoke condensates, whereas the other samples exerted estrogenic activities in only one or two fractions. Genistein was able to be isolated as the major active principle in soy sauce, tofu and miso, its concentration in these three foodstuffs ranging from 0.1 to 394 microg/g or ml. 8-Prenylnaringenin was also isolated from beer extracts as a major compound with estrogenic activity present at 0.22-4.0 ng/ml. Estrogenic activity of 8-prenylnaringenin with YES was 10-times as high as that of genistein, although it was 100-times less than that of 17beta-estradiol. Based on our results in vitro, 10 mg miso and 10 ml beer can be calculated to have similar estrogenic activity to 1 pmole 17beta-estradiol. It is very important that the effects of genistein and 8-prenylnaringenin on human health are elucidated.

  Brewing by-products: their use as animal feeds.:Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2002 Jul;18(2):233-52. Review.Westendorf ML, Wohlt JE.Department of Animal Sciences, Cook College, State University of New Jersey-Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. westendorf@aesop.rutgers.edu

 Brewers grains, a by-product of beer production, are often used as a livestock feed. Because brewers grains provide protein, fiber, and energy, they can be useful in a variety of diets. Protein in brewers grains can meet a significant portion of supplemental protein requirements; in addition, they provide fiber and needed bulk in the diets of ruminants and horses. Brewers grains and other brewers by-products have also been fed to pigs, sheep, and poultry. Currently, the primary market for wet brewers grains is as a dairy cattle feed; however, some may be fed to beef cattle in feedlots. Brewers grains have historically been marketed wet or dry, but wet brewers grains currently make up the majority of the marketed product. Brewers grains provide protein, energy, and fiber in livestock diets, but product variability can influence their utilization and necessitate a testing program to determine nutrient content.

  Oestrogenic activity of the hop phyto-oestrogen, 8-prenylnaringenin.:Reproduction. 2002 Feb;123(2):235-42.Milligan S, Kalita J, Pocock V, Heyerick A, De Cooman L, Rong H, De Keukeleire D.Endocrinology and Reproduction Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, King's College, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK. Stuart.Milligan@kcl.ac.uk

 The female flowers of the hop plant (hop cones) are used as a preservative and as a flavouring agent in beer. A novel phyto-oestrogen, 8-prenylnaringenin, was recently identified in hops and this study was undertaken to characterize the oestrogenic activity of this compound using a combination of in vitro and in vivo assays. Natural and semi-synthetic 8-prenylnaringenin showed similar bioactivities both in a yeast screen transfected with the human oestrogen receptor and in oestrogen-responsive human Ishikawa Var-I cells. 8-Prenylnaringenin showed comparable binding activity to both oestrogen receptor isoforms (ER alpha and ER beta). 8-Prenylnaringenin extracted from hops contains similar amounts of both (R)- and (S)- enantiomers, indicating that the compound is normally formed non-enzymatically. Both enantiomers showed similar bioactivity in vitro and similar binding characteristics to ER alpha and ER beta. The oestrogenic activity of 8-prenyl-naringenin in vitro was greater than that of established phyto-oestrogens such as coumestrol, genistein and daidzein. The high oestrogenic activity was confirmed in an acute in vivo test using uterine vascular permeability as an end point. When the compound was given to ovariectomized mice in their drinking water, oestrogenic stimulation of the vaginal epithelium required concentrations of 100 mug ml(-1) (about 500-fold greater than can be found in any beer).

  Determination of estrogenic activity in beer by biological and chemical means.:J Agric Food Chem. 2001 Feb;49(2):633-40.Promberger A, Dornstauder E, Fr¨¹hwirth C, Schmid ER, Jungbauer A.Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

 It has been suspected that beer drinking may change the hormonal status of men caused by phytoestrogens. Five different Austrian lager beers have been investigated for estrogenic activity by a yeast two-plasmid system harboring the human estrogen receptor alpha, after concentration by solid phase extraction. The beer concentrate was further fractionated by reversed phase HPLC, and then the fractions were characterized by the biological assay and GC-MS. The most potent fraction did not contain a known phytoestrogen. The total activity corresponded to an average of 43 ng of 17beta-estradiol/L of beer. It was concluded that the human health hazard of beer drinking originating from compounds activity on the estrogen receptor alpha is negligible.


  Scientific References:

  1.Research Update:Beer Yeast.