Synergistic effect of fumaric acid and chitosan on the inhibition of malolactic fermentation
Abstract
During wine storage and aging, microorganisms capable of degrading malic acid in an undesirable manner can proliferate. In order to control wine stability and preserve malic acid levels, winemaking strategies using chitosan and fumaric acid at doses of 600 mg/L have been developed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effect of chitosan and fumaric acid at reduced doses to inhibit malolactic fermentation (MLF). For this purpose, six fermentation conditions were evaluated in triplicate: a control of uninoculated wine, a treatment with 600 mg/L fumaric acid added, a control of wine inoculated with Oenococcus oeni, a treatment of inoculated wine with 600 mg/L fumaric acid added, a treatment with inoculated wine and 200 mg/L chitosan and, finally, a treatment of wine inoculated with 150 mg/L fumaric acid and 100 mg/L chitosan. The trials were carried out in chambers at 20°C, using 500 mL ISO flasks for MLF. General oenological parameters were monitored daily by FTIR and the concentration of malic acid and lactic acid was determined by enzymatic analysis. Once MLF was completed, color and pH parameters were evaluated and optical microscopy and sensory analysis were performed. The results showed a high effectiveness of fumaric acid as an inhibitor of MLF and as an acidifier, presenting a lower pH than the samples treated with chitosan (3.603) and the control (3.623), and a sensory perception of a lower pH (3.403-3.433). In turn, they confirmed a synergistic effect of fumaric acid with chitosan inhibiting MLF at low concentrations.
DOI:
Publication date: September 22, 2025
Issue: 46th World Congress of Vine and Wine
Type: Short communication
Authors
1 Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)