The combined use of Lachancea thermotolerans and lactic bacteria in wine technology
Abstract
The production of most red wines that are sold involves an alcoholic fermentation carried out by yeasts of the Saccharomyces genus, and a subsequent fermentation carried out by lactic bacteria of the Oenococus oeni species after the first one is fully completed. However, the traditional process can face complications, which can be more likely in grape juices with high levels of sugar and pH. Because of climate change, these situations are more frequent in the wine industry. The main hazards in those scenarios are halts or delays in the alcoholic fermentation or the growth of unwanted bacteria while the alcoholic fermentation is not done yet and the wine still has residual sugars. The study suggests a new alternative that provides a solution or lowers the risk of those scenarios while raising acidity, which is another serious issue of warm wine regions. The alternative involves the combined use of Lachancea thermotolerans to lower the pH of musts that have a deficiency of acidity, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum to attain malic acid stability during the initial stages of alcoholic fermentation, and Saccharomyces bayanus to finish the alcoholic fermentation in challenging wines of high potential alcohol degree of over 15% (v/v). The new biotechnology suggested produced wines with higher final levels in lactic acid, glycerol, color intensity, ethyl lactate and 2-phenyl ethyl acetate than the traditional methodology where Saccharomyces genus performs alcoholic fermentation and then Oenococus oeniperforms malolactic fermentation. Moreover, the new alternative produced wines with lower levels in ethanol, pH, acetic acid, ethyl acetate, diacetyl and 1-propanol than the classic method.
References:
1) Urbina A. et al. (2020) The Combined Use of Lachancea thermotolerans and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (former Lactobacillus plantarum) in Wine Technology. Foods., 10(6): 1356-1365, DOI 10.3390/foods10061356
2) Vicente J. et al. (2022) Biological management of acidity in wine industry: A review. Int. J. Food. Microbiol., 375: 109726, DOI 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2022.109726
DOI:
Issue: ICGWS 2023
Type: Article
Authors
1 Department of Chemistry and Food Technology, Polytechnic University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
2 Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Unit of Microbiology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
3 Pago de Carraovejas, S.L.U., 47300 Penafiel, Valladolid, Spain