Spoiler Alert: Zygosaccharomyces Rouxii and It's Role in Food Spoilage and Fermentation

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Introduction

Floral colonies of Z. rouxii on growth medium (left), and Z. rouxii cells viewed using light microscopy at 1000x magnification (right). Photos taken by Dr. Benjamin Wolfe, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Microbial Evolution at Tufts University. Photos sourced from an online post written by Dr. Wolfe himself on MicrobialFoods.org.

By Daniel Maffezzoli

Zygosaccharomyces rouxii is an interesting species of yeast that is infamous within the food industry. Its capacity to thrive in both highly saline and sugar-dense environments is what makes Z. rouxii a predominant food spoiling agent. The metabolism and ruggedness of the microbe also allow it to resist typical preservative methods in food production. In addition to being a spoiling agent, Z. rouxii is actually used to create various staple ingredients and traditions in East Asian cuisine. More specifically, Z. rouxii is the principal microbe used in the fermentation of soybeans during the brewing process of soy sauce, and in the production of miso. This page aims to provide detailed information on the unique metabolism and homeostatic tendencies of this microbe, how the microbe goes about spoiling foods, and the productive qualities that arise from the spoilage-inducing features – particularly in the context of brewing soy sauce.

Habitat, Physiology, and Metabolism

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Food Spoilage

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Soy Sauce Prodcution

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References

Authored for BIOL 238 Microbiology, taught by Joan Slonczewski, 2017, Kenyon College.