Yeast flocculation: quantification

Abstract

Yeast flocculation is an orthokinetic process dependent upon mechanical agitation for all quantitative measurements. From several methods which were assessed, orbital shaking was selected as being the most practical as well as producing the most meaningful results. Quantitative measurements of flocculation were made in terms of minimum agitation threshold, initial rate, extent of flocculation at equilibrium and flocculated particle size at equilibrium. All these parameters were strain dependent. Critical cell density functions were formed if agitation was limiting regardless of how the agitation was imposed, and are unlikely to be related to bond strength.