Influence of Yeast Strains on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Watermelon Wine

Dominic  Niliyuun Najoin; Linda  Dari

doi:10.4314/just.v41i1.1466

Mr Dominic Niliyuun Najoin Department of Food Science and Technology, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
Ing. Linda Dari Department of Biotechnology, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/just.v41i1.1466

Keywords: Sacchromyces cerevisiae, ermentation time, ethanol, titratable acidity

Abstract

The research was conducted to determine the physicochemical characteristics of watermelon wine developed from four different Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (Lalvin EC 1118, Lalvin QA 23, Redstar rouge and Redstar premier classique). The physicochemical characteristics of the treatments determined included pH, titratable acidity, °Brix, and ethanol content. The data obtained were subjected to two-way analysis of variance. The mean pH, titratable acidity, apparent °Brix and ethanol during fermentation ranged between 3.629-3.848, 1.090-1.85%, 17.69-8.13°Brix, and 1.530-7.545ABV% respectively. It was noticed that the fermentation time significantly influenced the physicochemical parameters examined irrespective of the yeast strain used. However, the physicochemical characteristics findings showed that all the yeast strains used were suitable for watermelon wine production.

Author Biographies

Mr Dominic Niliyuun Najoin, Department of Food Science and Technology, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

Dominic Niliyuun Najoin is a recent graduate of University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, Ghana with an MPhil degree in Biotechnology and BSc degree in Biotechnology. His research interests include, but not limited to, Fermentation of foods and Beverages, and Food developments.

Ing. Linda Dari, Department of Biotechnology, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

Ing. Linda Dari is a Senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies in Tamale, specializing in Food and Postharvest Technology. She has a PhD and an MSc in Food and Postharvest Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and is a member of the Ghana Institution of Engineering. Ing. Dari has conducted extensive research in various areas including Food Science, Processing and Storage of Agricultural Products, Dairy Processing, Food Safety and Standards, and Postharvest Handling of Crops. Ing. Dari has published her work in several local and international peer-reviewed journals, with a particular interest in researching under-utilized indigenous agricultural products.