Novozymes Creates New Enzyme to Increase Vodka Output

Novozymes is all about making more with less. The launch of a new product, Novozymes Sanferm Yield, enables distillers to produce more alcohol with fewer raw materials.

4 April 2012 --- With the fluctuation in raw material costs, alcohol producers are in need of a solution that can offer both economic and technical benefits. A new enzyme from Novozymes helps by allowing distillers to achieve2-3% higher alcohol yields and increased fermentation efficiency, with a 10-20% shorter fermentation time.

“With Sanferm Yield, alcohol producers can yield more alcohol with the same amount of raw materials thereby saving money and time in the process. This definitely is a boon for the producers as it enables them to grow their business in a sustainable way with less and minimal utilization of natural resources,” says Elmar Janser, Global Marketing Manager at Novozymes.

Sanferm Yield provides better control of the brewing process. It acts as a catalyst during the fermentation process helping in breaking the existing proteins and compounds in grain mashes into fermentable sugars and amino acids. The alcohol yield is thereby increased and the fermentation is enhanced and completed within a shorter time frame.

This enhanced efficiency can be achieved without altering the existing production process. Instead, this new product provides better control of the existing fermentation process and delivers faster alcohol production, resulting in increased capacity.

The solution works effectively with a wide variety of grain-based raw materials, and can be used with wheat, corn, rye, triticale, and rice. So it can be used to boost production of a wide variety of distillery products, much more than just vodka.

The distilling industry benefits, and so does the world - reduced usage of land and raw materials translates into increased agricultural capacity available for other uses, and creates a new sustainability within the distilling industry.