Melatonin in yeast and fermented beverages: analytical tools for detection, physiological role and biosynthesis

The recently established relation between the metabolism of aromatic amino acids of yeast and the production of different bioactive molecules during fermentation opens up new and interesting research topics. Among these molecules, melatonin has drawn researchers’ attention in the last decade given its potential benefits for human health. This review summarizes melatonin production in fermented beverages, and conventional and current methods for detecting melatonin in yeast-derived samples. In addition, the role of melatonin in yeast is discussed and the biosynthetic pathway of melatonin is presented in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.