RAPD Analysis: a Rapid Technique for Differentiation of Spoilage Yeasts

Techniques for the identification of the spoilage yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and members of the Zygosaccharomyces genus from food and beverages sources were evaluated. The use of identification systems based on physiological characteristics resulted often in incomplete identification or misidentification. Also the cellular fatty acid analysis failed on differentiating species within the Zygosaccharomyces genus. However, the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay, using selected 10-mer oligonucleotides, allowed discrimination between all species tested. For this RAPD assay, a simple and reproducible method of DNA isolation from spoilage yeast cells is described.