Abstract
Certain acetic and lactic acid bacteria are major causes of quality defects in musts and wines, giving rise to defects such as a “vinegary,” “sharp, like nail polish-remover” taste or preventing alcoholic and/or malolactic fermentation. Sulfur dioxide is the major tool currently used in the control of these bacteria in wine. The aim of this work was to isolate bacteriophages from musts and wine of different grape varieties that were able to eliminate lactic and acetic acid bacteria spoilages at the laboratory scale. Musts obtained from grape-berries of Vitis vinifera cv. Chardonnay and Moscatel and a red wine made with V. vinifera cv. Tintilla de Rota were used to isolate bacteriophages. Bacteriophages were obtained from each of the musts and the wine and belonged to the order Caudovirals and the family Tectivirals. They were isolated by classical virology methods and identified by electron microscopy. The host bacteria used in the study were lactic acid bacteria of the species Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Oenococcus oeni and the acetic bacteria Acetobacter aceti. A comparative study was performed by adding phage titrations and SO2 to musts and wines, which had been previously inoculated with bacteria, to study the effectiveness of bacteriophages against bacteria. The comparative study showed that some bacteriophages were as effective as sulfur dioxide at low concentrations.
Highlights
Bacteria are part of the natural microbiota of wine, and they play a key role in winemaking by contributing to the aroma and flavor of wine while reducing acidity
In the case of L. hilgardii, bacteriophage plaques were only observed from red wine samples, while O. oeni showed to be infected by bacteriophages isolated from red wine and Moscatel and Chardonnay musts
This fact was confirmed with the appearance of phage plaques in titers made for lactic acid bacteria
Summary
Bacteria are part of the natural microbiota of wine, and they play a key role in winemaking by contributing to the aroma and flavor of wine while reducing acidity. They can cause undesirable wine spoilage problems, reducing wine quality and value (Bartowsky, 2009). Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is the most commonly used antimicrobial compound in wine production due to its efficacy and low cost, being able to affect a wide variety of spoilage microorganisms. The only active form in terms of protection against contaminating microorganisms (e.g., Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus) is molecular sulfur dioxide, which is responsible for the pH value (Ough and Were, 2005). Due to the great diversity of wines, there is not a pre-established dose, but winemakers adjust it according to the raw materials, technology, and products they have available
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
