Study of the ultrasound effects on yeast lees lysis in winemaking

Abstract

This work focused on the study of ultrasound (US) treatment effects on wine lees, in order to verify the possibility of accelerating the protective colloids (i.e., polysaccharides) release. Moreover, these effects were compared with the usual practices of aging wine over lees and with the enzyme treatment of lees by means of beta-glucanases able to demolish the glucans and facilitate the release of intracellular components. This work was performed considering the possibility of setting up a technology applicable in a cellar. Ultrasound treatment on wine lees resulted in an increase in total colloids, proteins, and polysaccharides in the medium with a reduction in the colloids particle diameter. These results were mainly correlated with treatment duration rather than its intensity. Treatment at 90 % amplitude for 3 min provided good enough results in terms of colloids release, and therefore, it was used for the comparative study with natural lysis and enzyme treatment. The parameters evaluated showed that the ultrasound treatment resulted in an increased release of colloids from yeast (polysaccharides and glycoproteins); therefore, a significant effect on the extraction of cellular components compared to the long stay on the lees was detected, indicating the interesting advantage that this new technological application can bring to the winemaking process.