https://phys.org/news/2025-01-rwandan-scientists-local-yeast-banana.html Phys.org Topics * Week's top * Latest news * Unread news * Subscribe [ ] Science X Account [ ] [ ] [*] Remember me Sign In Click here to sign in with or Forget Password? Not a member? Sign up Learn more * Nanotechnology * Physics * Earth * Astronomy & Space * Chemistry * Biology * Other Sciences * Medical Xpress Medicine * Tech Xplore Technology [INS::INS] * * share this! * Share * Tweet * Share * Email 1. Home 2. Biology 3. Cell & Microbiology 1. Home 2. Biology 3. Agriculture * * * --------------------------------------------------------------------- January 29, 2025 The GIST Editors' notes This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked proofread Rwandan scientists develop local yeast for banana wine-makers by Kelly Rwamapera, SciDev.Net banana tree Credit: CC0 Public Domain For years, Augusti Ntivuguruzwa struggled to perfect his banana wine in Rwanda. As for many traditional wine-makers in the country, each batch brought uncertainty about whether regulators would approve his product. "Before now, we did not have any yeast specifically made for banana wine and it has been difficult for regulators to approve of the banana wine we produce," says Ntivuguruzwa. "Passing regulators with banana wine is a very complex process. They always have something to say about the wine." His challenge reflects a broader struggle in Rwanda's growing banana wine industry, where many producers end up using inappropriate ingredients for fermentation, compromising both quality and regulatory compliance. In Rwanda, banana wine, popularly called Urwagwa, is a traditional drink with an expanding market. The wine is made by smoking ripe bananas to increase the sugar content and then mashing them and mixing with water to create juice. The yeast is then added for fermentation and the mixture strained to produce the wine. Although bananas are widely cultivated and the demand for banana wine is increasing, producers like Ntivuguruzwa have faced the persistent challenge of sourcing appropriate yeast for production. Neither the yeast used in baking, nor that used in winemaking is the right fit for banana wine, says Emmanuel Nsabimana, a food chemist at Urwibutso Enterprise, a food and drinks company. "Bakery yeast is far from being the right fermenting agent for banana wine while wine yeast is made for fermenting grape wine," he explains. "It's technically not right to use any of them for fermenting banana wine." [INS::INS] Authentic wine The problem prompted researcher Emmanuel Munezero and his team to explore local raw materials that could be used as starter cultures--microorganisms that aid fermentation and extend the shelf life of food and drinks. "We now have the first starter culture for which the Rwanda Development Board approved the patent in December 2024," says Munezero, lead researcher and product and technology development specialist at the Rwanda National Industrial Research and Development Agency. He says this breakthrough came from looking at various local banana brews. "We then isolated elements that make fermenting possible," Munezero explains. "Three elements proved best for making starter culture, looking at their capacity to turn banana sugar into wine and resistance to dilution." The team looked for a fermenting agent that could remain reactive in substances with a temperature of up to 370 degrees Celsius and alcohol of the recommended 16 percent per volume. They also wanted to ensure that the new yeast would preserve the traditional qualities of banana wine. "We mixed the fermenting agent with sorghum flour to keep the traditional color and aroma of sorghum, the traditional fermenting agent of banana wine," says Munezero. The resulting yeast can remain dormant for over a year and can be reactivated using low temperatures, added Munezero. Fit for market Scientists have put the yeast through extensive testing and now, Munezero and his team plan to commercialize the starter culture within six months and are working on developing it in powder form to match other commercial yeasts. Although unclear about the exact cost, Munezero is confident that the yeast will be affordable for banana wine-makers like Ntivuguruzwa. "There is no doubt it will be cheaper than other yeasts," says Munezero. "Everything is from the traditional raw materials available in the country. Nothing is imported." Provided by SciDev.Net Citation: Rwandan scientists develop local yeast for banana wine-makers (2025, January 29) retrieved 9 February 2025 from https:/ /phys.org/news/2025-01-rwandan-scientists-local-yeast-banana.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. 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The new starter culture, derived from local banana brews, effectively ferments banana sugars while preserving traditional qualities. It can withstand high temperatures and alcohol levels, remains dormant for over a year, and is expected to be affordable for local producers. This summary was automatically generated using LLM. Full disclaimer Let us know if there is a problem with our content Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form. For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines). Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request [-- please select one -- ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Your message to the editors [ ] Your email (only if you want to be contacted back) [ ] Send Feedback Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors. Your feedback is important to us. 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