Inherent biodiversity of folate content and composition in yeasts

We have studied folate content and composition in 44 yeast strains cultivated in a synthetic medium at standardised conditions. Folates were measured by a validated HPLC method. The total folate content ranged from 4000 to 14,500 mu g/100g dry matter showing a large biodiversity among studied yeasts. The forms found were 5-CH3-H(4)folate and H(4)folate, also varying extensively in relative amounts between different strains. Several strains showed a showed two-fold or higher folate content as compared to the control strain-a commercial strain of Baker's yeast. This indicates that folate content in yeast-fermented foods may be more than doubled merely by choosing a proper strain.