The influence of pressure and temperature of compressed CO2 on the survival of yeast cells.

In order to study the potential use of supercritical CO2 extraction for the recovery of products from yeast cell cultures, the effects of CO2 on different yeast strains over a range of pressures and temperatures have been examined. Viability was shown to be dependent on temperature and dissolved CO2 concentration, and can be described by a sigmoidal (S-shaped) curve. Cell death was mainly due to an 'anaesthesia effect' rather than cell rupture. Important differences in sensitivity were observed for the strains studied, with the following order of resistance: Kluyveromyces fragilis > Saccharomyces cerevisiae > Candida utilis.