Non-Saccharomyces yeast-based fermentation approaches for reduced alcohol production in winemaking

Abstract

Recent consumer trends indicate a growing demand for wines with lower alcohol content. Given that ethanol constitutes the main metabolic product of alcoholic fermentation, the modulation of fermentation dynamics represents a direct and intrinsically process-integrated strategy to limit ethanol accumulation, thereby reducing reliance on post-fermentation corrective interventions and contributing to the preservation of wine quality attributes [1-2-3]. The present study explored the use of alternative yeast species, predominantly non-Saccharomyces, to modulate alcoholic fermentation. The experimental design encompassed multiple inoculation strategies, including spontaneous fermentation as well as sequential and combined inoculations with Hanseniaspora uvarum, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Metschnikowia spp., and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These approaches were applied to evaluate their impact on the alcoholic profile and on the phenolic and volatile composition of the resulting wines. Among the different conditions, the sequential inoculation of Hanseniaspora Uvarum and T. delbrueckii and Metschnikowia (24 hours later) emerged as the most promising strategy, reducing the alcohol content from 12.9 % to 12.03 % vol. and yielding the highest increase in phenolic compounds, particularly flavonols. Volatile profiling revealed significant increases in medium- and long-chain ethyl esters, such as ethyl octanoate and ethyl decanoate, in both sequential inoculations with Hanseniaspora and T. delbrueckii as well as Metschnikowia and Hanseniaspora followed by S. cerevisiae. These results are in line with previous studies showing that mixed fermentations with non-Saccharomyces yeasts, such as T. delbrueckii and Hanseniaspora, can increase the production of aromatic compounds with fruity and floral notes, contributing to a more complex and balanced aromatic profile of the wine. Overall, the results demonstrate that selected non-Saccharomyces yeast combinations, particularly sequential inoculation strategies, offer a promising approach for controlling alcohol formation while enhancing phenolic composition and modulating the aromatic profile of wine.

References

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[3] A. Escudero, E. Campo, L. Fariña, J. Cacho, V. Ferreira; J. Agric. Food Chem., 55 (2007), 4501–45103.