The Use of Ammonium Bifluoride on Yeast Propagation and Fermentation of Blackstrap Molasses

Abstract

The use of fluorides for controlling bacterial contamination in commercial production of rum led to several experiments to evaluate ammonium bifluoride as a bacterial inhibitor and test its effects on yeast fermentation, yeast growth and preservation. Sensitivity tests were performed with bacteria isolated from molasses mashes. The results indicated that with 400 mg. of ammonium bifluoride per liter, bacterial population on fermenting mashes can be reduced considerably. Laboratory-scale batch fermentation experiments were conducted to study the effect of ammonium bifluoride on alcohol production. The results obtained indicate that ammonium bifluoride does not affect the fermentative characteristics of yeasts in concentrations of up to 1,000 mg. per liter tested. The effect of ammonium bifluoride on yeast growth and viability during storage also was investigated. It was demonstrated that this salt is highly inhibitory to yeast propagation and adversely affects yeast viability after yeast growth terminates.