08/21/2026
A University of Idaho researcher may have found an unexpected way to help breweries prevent one of the industry's most frustrating problems: exploding beer cans and bottles. Paul Rowley and his team have been studying so-called "killer" yeasts, naturally occurring microorganisms that produce compounds capable of stopping harmful fungi and other yeasts. Their research focuses on diastatic yeasts, contaminants that can continue fermenting beer after it has been packaged. The excess fermentation creates additional carbon dioxide, which can alter flavors and, in some cases, cause dangerous over-carbonation that leads to exploding containers.
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Biochemistry professor Paul Rowley is studying "killer" yeasts that could help breweries prevent contamination and costly product losses.
