Preparation of high GABA-enriched yeast extract by non-saccharomyces yeasts isolated from korean traditional fermented soybean product

High GABA-enriched yeast extract, for various nutritionally and pharmaceutically important functional foods, was prepared using a novel isolate of Debaryomyces hansenii JBCC541. Under optimized conditions, GABA conversion rates are significantly enhanced up to 7.55 g/l by D. hansenii JBCC541, increasing their synthesis yield 40 times. The total amino acid content of the prepared yeast extract was 10733.86 mg/l (257.36 mg/g), consisting of alanine, lysine, glutamine, leucine, and valine as the primary amino acids. The GABA content was significantly enhanced up to 6790 mg/l (162.80 mg/g) in the presence of glutamic acid, with approximately 10-fold higher GABA production. Flavor amino acids were also highly enhanced, indicating that the prepared yeast extract might be useful for preparing various functional and sensuous foods. Our results were promising as a GABA-enriched yeast extract preparation tool ensuring a suitable food material level with the potential for functionally enhanced food industrial applications.