Bioremediation of heavy metals in food industry: Application of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Publication date: Available online 29 November 2018Source: Electronic Journal of BiotechnologyAuthor(s): Ramona Massoud, Mohammad Rasoul Hadiani, Kianoush Khosravi Darani, Pegah HamzehlouAbstractHeavy metals are natural elements in the earth's crust that can enter human food through industrial or agricultural processing, utilizing fertilizers and pesticides. These elements are not biodegradable. Some heavy metals are known as pollutants or toxic, and their bioaccumulation in plant and animal tissues can cause undesirable effects for humans, therefore, their amount in water and food should always be under control. The aim of this study is to investigate the conditions for bioremediation of heavy metals in foods. Various physical, chemical and biological methods have been used to reduce the heavy metals in the environment. During the last decades, bioremediation methods using plants and micro-organisms have been interesting to researchers for their advantages such as being more specific and environmentally friendly. The main pollutant elements in foods and beverages are Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and Mercury, which have their own permissible limits. Among the microorganisms that are capable of heavy metals' bioremediation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an interesting choice. Having special characteristics and being safe for humans make it so common and useful in the food industry. Its mass production as the byproduct of the fermentation industry and the low-cost of culture media are ...
Source: Electronic Journal of Biotechnology - Category: Biotechnology Source Type: research