The aim of this study was to identify and characterise the predominant yeasts in Champu´ s, a traditionalColombian cereal-based beverage with a low alcoholic content.Samples of Champu´ s from 20 production sites in the Cauca Valley region were analysed. A total of235 yeast isolates were identified by conventional microbiological analyses and by polymerase chainreaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2. The dominantspecies were: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Issatchenkia orientalis, Pichia fermentans, Pichia kluyveri var.kluyveri, Zygosaccharomyces fermentati, Torulospora delbruekii, Galactomyces geotrichum and Hanseniasporaspp. Model Champu´ s systems were inoculated with single strains of some isolated sporogenusspecies and the aromatic profiles were analysed by SPME. Analysis of data showed that Champu´ s strainsproduced high amounts of esters. The aromatic compounds produced by Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts from Champu´ s can exert a relevant influence on the sensory characteristics of thefermented beverage. The Champu´ s strains could thus represent an important source for new yeastbiotypes with potential industrial applications.[...
