Sorption of volatile phenols by yeast cell walls

Abstract

Yeast walls can retain different wine compounds and so its use is interesting in order to eliminate harmful substances from the must which affect alcoholic fermentation (medium chain fatty acids) or which affect wine quality in a negative way (ethyl phenols, ochratoxin A). The aim of this study was to examine the capacity of commercial yeast cell walls in eliminating volatile phenols (4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol) from a synthetic wine that contained 1 mg/L of each one of these compounds. The binding of these compounds to the wall was quite fast which would seem to indicate that the yeast wall-volatile compound union is produced in the outer surface layers of this enological additive. The cell walls used reduced the concentration of 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol, although it would seem that on modifying the matrix of the wine the number of free binding sites on the walls is also modified.