Production of Iron-Enriched Yeast: An Applicable Strategy in Industrial Scale

Enriched yeast containing bioavailable iron has emerged as a promising alternative to address iron deficiency in food. Despite achieving favorable yields at the laboratory scale, this approach proved to be economically unviable. This study aimed to optimize the process of iron enrichment in the well-known yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on an industrial scale, with a focus on producing iron-rich biomass for use in the food industry and as a nutritional supplement. To improve efficiency and reduce costs, particularly in terms of time and the quantity of metal salt used, a Plackett-Burman design was employed to screen for main effects, and data analysis was conducted using Design-Expert software. The results showed that yeast concentration, the addition of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH۲PO۴), and stirring speed significantly impacted the process. Subsequently, response surface methodology was used to identify the optimal conditions for iron enrichment. The ideal parameters were determined as follows: a yeast concentration of ۰.۲۹ g/L, a KH۲PO۴ quantity of ۰.۱۷ g, a stirring speed of ۲۰۰ rpm, and an iron-to-yeast ratio of ۱۳.۳۰۶۳. Moreover, the timing of iron fortification was compared during and after yeast growth to examine its potential impact on yeast viability and fermentation properties. The findings suggest that enriching yeast with iron after growth may enhance the stability of iron in the final product. This method could eliminate the need for complex chemical additives, reduce production costs for iron-containing supplements, and facilitate incorporation into food formulations without affecting taste or appearance.

کلیدواژه ها:

Enriched yeast ، Iron-Yeast ، Saccharomyces cerevisiae ، Optimization ، Scale-up