Effect of Aspergillus carbonarius amounts on winemaking and ochratoxin A contamination

Aspergillus carbonarius is the major ochratoxin A (OTA)-producing fungus that contaminates wine grapes. To investigate the effect of the initial amount of A. carbonarius on winemaking and ochratoxin A contamination, different conidial concentrations of A. carbonarius were manually added to the grape musts before fermentation. Sampling was carried out at different stages in alcoholic fermentation, including crushing, maceration, pressing and alcoholic fermentation. The levels of alcohols, soluble solids, and reducing sugars in the musts were analyzed before and during the whole procedure of alcoholic fermentation. Aspergillus spp. and other fungal contaminants increased rapidly after crushing, however most died at 48 h. OTA levels in the musts increased during the first 8–48 h and then decreased sharply in A. carbonarius inoculants (1 × 10⁴ to 1 × 10⁶ spores/g) in a spore concentration-dependent manner. Most OTA was retained in the pomaces fraction after the pressing operation. High amounts of A. carbonarius did not significantly affect yeast growth, sugar use, and alcoholic production during fermentation. In conclusion, high levels of contamination with A. carbonarius in the grape musts did not inhibit alcoholic fermentation, but caused high OTA residues in the wine produced.     

Evaluation of phenolic extraction during fermentation of red grapes treated by a continuous pulsed electric fields process at pilot-plant scale

The feasibility of processing red grapes by pulsed electric fields (PEF) at pilot-plant scale to improve the extraction of anthocyanins and phenols during the maceration-fermentation step of the winemaking process has been investigated. With this general purpose a colinear continuous treatment chamber was developed. The influence of field strength (2, 5 and 7 kV/cm) and grape variety (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot) in the extraction kinetics was studied. Extraction curves were described by an exponential equation that permits to estimate the extraction rate (k) and the maximum extraction yield (Y_max). An increment of the electric field from 2 to 7 kV/cm increased the extraction rate of anthocyanins and total phenols for the three varieties investigated. The increment of Y_max due to the application of PEF was more remarkable in Cabernet Sauvignon than in Merlot and Syrah. The continuous PEF system presented in this work constitutes an important step for the application of PEF technology at commercial scale.     

Effect of sulfur dioxide and ethanol concentration on fungal profile and ochratoxin a production by Aspergillus carbonarius during wine making

Fungal profiles and ochratoxin A (OTA) accumulation during wine making were investigated using five different wine grape cultivars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot and the intrinsic influences caused by sulfur dioxide, ethanol and combine effect of ethanol and reducing sugar were analyzed using Cabernet Sauvignon and inoculation of Aspergillus carbonarius. Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. were found as the major fungi in all winemaking processes and were highly correlated with OTA accumulation in wine. Most fungi died and OTA production decreased after 48 h of alcoholic fermentation, being consistent with the period when ethanol accumulation increased. The addition of SO₂ significantly inhibited the growth and OTA production of A. carbonarius with complete inhibition at 500 mg/L. When the ethanol concentration in the must increased to the range of 2–4%, growth and OTA production of A. carbonarius were significantly inhibited. Reducing sugar concentration had no significant effect on the growth and OTA production of A. carbonarius within the levels changing during the winemaking. Therefore, the increase of ethanol concentration played an important role in causing the decrease of fungal contamination and OTA accumulation during winemaking.     

Alternative yeasts for winemaking: Saccharomyces non-cerevisiae and its hybrids

Wine fermentation has not significantly changed since ancient times and the most traditional aspects are seen by the market as elements that uplift wine nuances and quality. In recent years, new trends have emerged from the sector in line with consumer preferences, and due to the effects of global climate change on grape ripening. In the first cases, the consumers are looking for wines with less ethanol and fruitier aromas and in the second cases the wineries want to reduce the wine alcohol levels and/or astringency. New yeast starters of alternative Saccharomyces species and their hybrids can help to solve some problems that wineries face. In this article we review several physiological and genetic aspects of S. uvarum and S. kudriavzevii and the hybrids, which are especially relevant during the winemaking process, such as their good fermentative capabilities at low temperatures, resulting in wines with lower alcohol and higher glycerol amounts.     

Differences in morphology and composition of skin and pulp cell walls from grapes (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis vinifera</Emphasis> L.): technological implications

The morphology and composition of skin and pulp cell walls of four premium red wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) varieties were studied to determine whether the technological differences observed in previous studies between the four different varieties during the winemaking process (especially, the anthocyanin extractability) could be partly explained by their respective cell wall compositions. Monastrell grapes showed the highest amount of cell wall material in their skins (55–57 mg cell wall/g skin), while Syrah showed the largest amount of cell wall material in the pulp (5.1 mg cell wall/g pulp). The highest percentage of galactose and cellulosic glucose in skin and pulp cell walls was also found in Monastrell grapes. The cell wall composition of Monastrell grapes, together with their morphology, suggests that the firmer pulp and skin are responsible for the difficulties this variety shows for anthocyanin extraction (extractability index varying from 37 to 60). As cell wall composition may be modulated by the action of enzymes, the activity of pectinmethylesterase, polygalacturonase, cellulase and α- and β-galactosidase was studied. No polygalacturonase and cellulase activity was found. The two galactosidases showed higher activity than pectinmethylesterase (25–290 units/g tissue versus 0.3–0.4 units/g tissue), especially in Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, although in Monastrell grapes α- and β-galactosidase activity was low, which may explain the large amount of galactose in Monastrell grapes cell wall.     

Survey: Ochratoxin A in European special wines

The occurrence of Ochratoxin A (OTA) was examined in 121 special wines made using different winemaking techniques and from many European origins. The wine groups with the highest OTA content and occurrence, above 90%, were those were the must was fortified before fermentation (mean: 4.48 μg/l) and those made from grapes dried by means of sun exposure (mean: 2.77 μg/l). Fortified wines with long aging in wooden casks were about 50% contaminated, with OTA levels below 1.00 μg/l. Wines affected by noble rot, late harvest wines and ice wines did not contain OTA. Overall, 19.8% of the wines studied contained OTA levels above the maximum permissible limit for the European Union (2 μg/kg) in wine (excluding liqueur wines).     

Evolution of tebuconazole residues through the winemaking process of Mencía grapes

The removal of tebuconazole residues during the winemaking process, applied initially to red must elaborated from Mencía variety grapes from A.O.C. Valdeorrras (Ourense, N.W. Spain), was studied. Analytical determination of tebuconazole residues in grapes, musts and wines were perfomed by gas chromatography equipped with an ion trap mass spectrometry detector (GC–ITMS). Tebuconazole is retained on the solid matter (cakes and lees) and clarification agent. The eliminated percentage of tebuconazole in the final wine is 86%. The influence of this fungicide on the fermentative activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and the Oenococcus oeni was also studied through in vitro assays. Liquid chromatography equipped with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC–MS/MS) was used to determine tebuconazole residues in synthetic must and wine used for in vitro assays. No effect on the alcoholic or malolactic fermentation was observed; and no degradation of tebuconazole originated by these microorganisms was registered.     

Changes in the color components and phenolic content of red wines from Vitis vinifera L. Cv. “Tempranillo” during vinification and aging

Changes in phenolics and color components during vinification and aging of Tempranillo wines were studied. Different phenolics display different diffusion into the must, and with the exception of proanthocyanidins and acetyl-glucoside anthocyanins, with maximum concentration at the end of postmaceration, the rest of the unacylated and coumarated anthocyanins, monomeric flavanols, and hydroxycinnamic acids reached their maximum at the end of alcoholic fermentation. This resulted in a significant increase in both wine color and stable color, mainly due to the formation of copigmentation complexes, although polymeric pigment formation was also important. Malolactic fermentation produced a significant decrease in flavonoid content while nonflavonoid concentrations were maintained, prompting a considerable loss in wine color, despite the dramatic increase in bisulfite-stable color. Wine oak aging did not produce any significant change in the studied parameters, while bottle aging reduced the level of monomeric anthocyanins and flavanols, and hydroxycinnamic acids. However, wine color remained stable due to a significant increase in stable color. Polymerization reactions of anthocyanins prevailed over pigment degradation reactions, and copigmentation was still relevant after 2 years of bottle aging.     

Role of lees in wine production: A review

The sometimes contradictory role attributed by scientists to lees in wine production is discussed in this review. Studies dealing with the importance of lees in the natural removal of undesirable compounds from wine, the effect of lees–wine contact on the volatile fraction of wines, the key influence of lees on biogenic amine contents in wines, the interactions between lees and phenolic compounds, and the importance of mannoproteins and lipids released by lees have been critically reviewed. Finally, the present exploitation of lees is also outlined.