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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.
Sec. Fungal Pathogenesis
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1495177
This article is part of the Research Topic Applications of Fungi View all articles

Influence of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeast strains on the physicochemical and sensory properties of wine fermentation: A promising approach to enhancing wine quality

Provisionally accepted
Sathivel Thivijan Sathivel Thivijan 1,2Dayani Pavalakumar Dayani Pavalakumar 2Chathuri J. Gunathunga Chathuri J. Gunathunga 2Lanka J S Undugoda Lanka J S Undugoda 2Pathmalal M Manage Pathmalal M Manage 2Ruwani N Nugara Ruwani N Nugara 2Pasan Chinthana Bandara Pasan Chinthana Bandara 2Kasun M. Thambugala Kasun M. Thambugala 2Fahad Al-Asmari Fahad Al-Asmari 3Itthayakorn Promputtha Itthayakorn Promputtha 1*
  • 1 Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • 2 University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
  • 3 King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This study explores the potential of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts isolated from Vitis vinifera L. grape skins to improve the quality of regional wines by enhancing their physicochemical and sensory characteristics. Five promising yeast strains were identified at different stages of fermentation: Hanseniaspora opuntiae (J1Y-T1), H. guilliermondii (Y5P-T5), H. uvarum (JF3-T1N), Pichia kudriavzevii (Y8P-T8), and Starmerella bacillaris (WMP4-T4). Among these, H. uvarum and S. bacillaris were particularly noteworthy due to their superior alcohol production, achieving levels of 8.16 ± 0.05% and 8.04 ± 0.04% (v/v), respectively, and demonstrating higher alcohol tolerance even in later fermentation stages. Hanseniaspora uvarum also showed exceptional resilience, with a half-life of 3.34 ± 0.03 days and a Km value of 1.0200 ± 0.0100 mol L⁻¹, achieving the highest biomass even in the later stages of fermentation. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis revealed that while tartaric acid levels remained constant, malic acid content decreased, and acetic acid was produced by all strains. Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry identified ethyl acetate as the dominant volatile compound, with H. uvarum producing the highest concentration (43.411 ± 1.602%), contributing to a fruitier aroma and flavor. The combined attributes of H. uvarum higher alcohol content, enhanced fruity notes, improved clarity, lower acetic acid (0.52 ± 0.03 g L⁻¹), and significant residual sugar (162.37 ± 2.48 g L⁻¹) make it a promising candidate for improving the overall quality of regional wines. Incorporating H. uvarum into mixed starter cultures with specific Saccharomyces strains could further optimize the wine fermentation process.

    Keywords: Fermentation kinetics, Hanseniaspora uvarum, HPLC, Sensory attributes, Vitis vinifera

    Received: 12 Sep 2024; Accepted: 12 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Thivijan, Pavalakumar, Gunathunga, Undugoda, Manage, Nugara, Bandara, Thambugala, Al-Asmari and Promputtha. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Itthayakorn Promputtha, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

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