THE RAPID DETECTION OF BREWERY CONTAMINANTS BELONGING TO THE GENUS SACCHAROMYCES BY A SEROLOGICAL TECHNIQUE

Abstract

The cells of contaminant Saccharomyces spp. are rendered fluorescent by means of fluorescein chemically bound to antibody protein. The fluorescent contaminants are observed microscopically, and an estimate of levels of contamination likely to be encountered in the brewery can be obtained within 3 hr. A serum of suitable specificity is obtained by careful cross-absorption with a brewing yeast, and by combining two sera, all brewery contaminants of the genus Saccharomyces so far encountered are detected. Careful selection of the brewing strain used for cross-absorption, and control of the cross-absorption procedure itself, allows the recognition of certain wild-type Sacch. cerevisiae strains.