Heat, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and high pulsed electric field (PEF) inactivations of Zygosaccharomyces bailii ascospores and vegetative cells suspended in apple, orange, pineapple, cranberry and grape juices were investigated. The ascospores exhibited a heat resistance that was more than 5-8 times greater than the vegetative cells. After 5 min of pressurization at 300 MPa, the population of vegetative cells decreased almost 5 log cycles, while the population of ascospores decreased between 0.5-1 log cycles. In each fruit juice studied, two pulses of 32-36.5 kV/cm decreased the population of vegetative cells or ascospores 3.5 to 5 log cycles.Key words: Zygosaccharomyces bailii, ascospores, hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields ing the yeast suspension were placed in an icebath for 15 min and after cooling, the yeasts were washed three times by centrifugation and resuspended in sterile YMB. After the last centrifugation the pellet was resuspended in a sterile YMB containing 10% glycerol, and a 5 mL suspension aliquot was dispensed in 15 mL vials. The vials were then stored at -20°C. The final concentration of yeast in the vials was 2 ϫ 10 8 CFU/mL. The vegetative cells of Z. bailii exhibited no loss of viability or resistance to heat, HHP, or PEF during storage.A culture (48h, 27ЊC) of Z. bailii growth in YMB was spread plated on the surface of an agar containing 5 g/L sodium acetate and 10 g/L KCl (Fowell, 1967). After incubating 14 days at 25ЊC, the ascospores were collected by flooding the surface of the culture with sterile distilled water and scraping the plate with a bent glass rod. The suspension was centrifuged and washed three times in distilled water and stored at 4ЊC until used. The suspension contained about 10 8 spores/mL. Microscopy observation of the suspension indicated the presence of 10% vegetative cells, 45% free spores and 45% asci. During storage no major changes in heat, HHP or PEF resistance were observed.
Menstrua of treatmentPasteurized apple, orange, pineapple, cranberry, and grape juices were obtained from a local supermarket. No microorganisms were detected in the fruit juices before inoculation. Their pH (Table 1) and electric conductivity ( Table 2) at room temperature were measured using a pH meter (Model 420A,