About Phyterra
Phyterra Yeast Inc. is a leader in the research, development and commercialization of advanced yeast solutions that address significant problems in the food, beverage and healthcare industries. The company’s technology platforms improve the performance of innate yeast functions, and prevent the formation of naturally occurring toxins and contaminants that either affect final product quality or are classified by the World Health Organization as probable human carcinogens.
The company’s lead technologies include yeasts that prevent and reduce the formation of the carcinogen acrylamide and foul-smelling hydrogen sulphide (H2S), both byproducts of food and beverage processing. These contaminants are found in many commonly consumed items, such as baked, toasted and fried goods, and fermented alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer, and are an important concern for food safety regulators worldwide.
Oenological Division
Phyterra Yeast Inc.’s primary commercial focus in wine research is to help winemakers produce excellent, high-quality wines from our patented yeast strains. The formation of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a major problem in winemaking due to the fact that, left untreated, it can leave a wine with an undesirable rotten-egg sensory characteristic
H2S is a colorless volatile gas which produces a distinctive unpleasant rotten eggs odor in wine, beer, and other fermented beverages. Unless H2S is removed from wine promptly, it can react with other wine materials and form other off-odors and off-flavors which can be difficult and costly to remove.
A significant accomplishment for the company has been the acquisition to commercialize the proprietary hydrogen sulphide (H2S) reducing yeast technology developed by Dr. Linda Bisson, at the University of California at Davis (UC Davis). H2S is one of the most common occurring sensory defect problems in winemaking.
Phyterra's staff is a collection of scientists, engineers and winemakers with a passion for helping you produce the highest quality, pure and natural wines.