The Monthly Digest – March 2017

Solid-state fermentative production of aroma esters by Myroides sp. ZB35 and its complete genome sequence

Consumers prefer biotechnological food products with high nutritional values and good flavors. Solid-state fermentation is a commonly used technique with a long history. In the present study, Myroides sp. ZB35 was used in solid-state fermentative production of aroma volatiles on a rice medium. Using the headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry technique and authentic standards, 22 esters with molecular weight ranging from 102 to 172 were identified. At 192 h, the esters reached a total concentration of 1774 μg/kg. Subsequently, the complete genome of ZB35 was sequenced using the PacBio RS II platform. ZB35 has a single circular chromosome of 4,065,010 bp with a GC content of 34.1% and six putative novel esterase genes were found. ZB35 is the first bacterium here discovered being capable of producing so many kinds of aroma esters. The data revealed here would provide helpful information for further developing this strain as a promising source of aroma esters relevant in food and fragrance industries and the source of novel enzymes with potential usages.

Xiao Z et al (2017) Journal of Biotechnology (in press)

 

Brewing with 100 % unmalted grains: barley, wheat, oat and rye

Whilst beers have been produced using various levels of unmalted grains as adjuncts along with malt, brewing with 100 % unmalted grains in combination with added mashing enzymes remains mostly unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the brewing potential of 100 % unmalted barley, wheat, oat and rye in comparison with 100 % malt. To address this, identical brewing methods were adopted at 10-L scale for each grain type by applying a commercial mashing enzyme blend (Ondea® Pro), and selected quality attributes were assessed for respective worts and beers. Different compositions of fermentable wort carbohydrates were observed in the worts (all at ca. 12°P), and in particular oat wort had lower concentration of maltose compared to the others, resulting in the lowest concentration of alcohol in final beer. Moreover, wort made from unmalted grains also showed lower free amino nitrogen and higher viscosity than malt wort. Furthermore, the use of 100 % unmalted grains resulted in a decrease in the levels of colour and brightness, as well as higher alcohols and esters in the final beers. Consequently, the study provides valuable information for exploring beer brewing with 100 % unmalted barley, oat, rye or wheat using exogenously added enzymes. It also helps to understand the process ability by revealing specific needs when manufacturing different type of beers from unmalted grains, potentially paving the way to process optimisation and development of future products.

Zhuang S et al (29017) European Food Research and Technology 243:447-454

 

Effect of non-Saccharomyces yeasts on the volatile chemical profile of Shiraz wine

This study evaluated the impact that the non-Saccharomyces yeasts, Torulaspora delbrueckii (TD), Lachanceathermotolerans (LT), Pichia kluyveri (PK), Metschnikowia pulcherrima (MP), Candida zemplinina(CZ) and Kazachstania aerobia (KA), in sequential inoculation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), had on the volatile chemical profile of Shiraz wine. Shiraz grape must was inoculated with monocultures of the non-Saccharomyces yeasts, which were allowed to ferment until 2% v/v ethanol concentration was reached at which point, SC was added to complete the alcoholic fermentation. The control was SC in monoculture. The final wines were subjected to solid phase microextraction-GC × GC-time of flight-MS to evaluate the untargeted volatile metabolite profile of each treatment. Each fermentation produced a unique chemical profile. The LT–SC sequential fermentation was the most significantly different from the control primarily in the ester, alcohol and terpene profile. The KA–SC sequential fermentation had the highest amount of volatile acidity, and the PK–SC sequential fermentation had a relatively high amount of acetaldehyde and a few esters. The MP–SC sequential fermentation also revealed a higher concentration of several esters. The TD–SC sequential fermentation was notable for its lack of a distinct pattern in comparison with that of the other fermentations.Given these characteristics, the LT–SC sequential fermentation showed the most potential for increased chemical complexity of the Shiraz volatile profile.The results demonstrate that there is no clear, singular trend for how different, non-Saccharomycesspecies of yeast – once thought to be wholly unfavourable in wine fermentations – will impact wine chemistry, flavour or quality. Each species presents unique metabolic characteristics, many of which could be beneficial, and their potential application in the wine industry should be considered.

Whitener MEB et al (2017) Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research (in press) DOI: 10.1111/ajgw.12269

 

Impact of sequential co-culture fermentations on flavour characters of Solaris wines

Nowadays, the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in combination with Saccharomyces cerevisiae is being recognised to enhance the analytical composition of the wines. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts on the flavour character of wines from the cool-climate grape cultivar Solaris in Denmark. The volatile and non-volatile compounds as well as the sensory properties of wines were evaluated. Solaris wines with Hanseniaspora uvarum sequentially inoculated with S. cerevisiae produced a larger amount of glycerol as well as heptyl acetate and 2-phenylethyl acetate. This co-culture fermentation also produced higher amounts of ethyl acetate and acetic acid, reducing the possibility of its use in winemaking. Three Metschnikowia strains, a M. chrysoperlae strain and two M. fructicola strains, gave a comparable production of volatile compounds. These wines were characterised by several floral and fruity attributes. The Metschnikowia strains turned out to be promising in winemaking from Solaris grapes.

Liu J et al (2017) European Food Research and Technology 243:437-445

 

Influence of different yeast/lactic acid bacteria combinations on the aromatic profile of red Bordeaux wine

The typical fruity aroma of red Bordeaux wines depends on the grape variety but also on microbiological processes, such as alcoholic and malolactic fermentations. These transformations involve respectively the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the lactic acid bacteria Oenococcus oeni. Both species play a central role in red winemaking but their quantitative and qualitative contribution to the revelation of the organoleptic qualities of wine has not yet been fully described. The aim of this study was to elucidate the influence of sequential inoculation of different yeast and bacteria strains on the aromatic profile of red Bordeaux wine. All microorganisms completed fermentations and no significant difference was observed between tanks regarding the main oenological parameters until 3 months’ aging. Regardless of the yeast strain, B28 bacteria required the shortest period to completely degrade the malic acid, compared to the other strain. . Quantification of 73 major components highlighted a specific volatile profile corresponding to each microorganism combination. However, the yeast strain appeared to have a predominant effect on aromatic compound levels, as well as on fruity aroma perception. Yeasts had a greater impact on wine quality and have more influence on the aromatic style of red wine than bacteria.

Gammacurta M et al (2017) Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (in press) DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.8272

 

Selected yeasts to enhance phenolic content and quality in red wine from low pigmented grapes

The aim of this work was to enhance—by yeast activity—the quality of red wine produced from black grapes of the Calabrian Gaglioppo variety, used as a model for grapes with reduced synthesis of anthocyanins. Six selected strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were used to control winemaking trials. Among the wines, there are significant differences, due to the wine starter used. The following technological parameters were significantly different from strain to strain: total acidity, alcoholic degree, tartaric, malic, lactic, and acetic acid, and free and total SO2; moreover, the following phenolic parameters were significantly different from strain to strain: A420, A520, A620, colour intensity, colour hue, Folin–Ciocalteu index, percentage of DPPH inactivation, total anthocyanins, total polyphenols (A280), total tannins, delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside, and malvidin-3-glucoside. From a sensory standpoint, significant differences were observed among wine samples during a short bottle aging. Data validate the main role that wine yeast selection plays in enhancing the quality of red wine from low pigmented grape.

Caridi A et al (2017) European Food Research and Technology 243 :367-378

 

Aroma precursors in grapes and wine: Flavor release during wine production and consumption

Pioneering investigations into precursors to fruity and floral flavors established the importance of terpenoid and C13-norisoprenoid glycosides to the flavor of aromatic wines. Nowadays flavor precursors in grapes and wine are known to be structurally diverse, encompassing glycosides; amino acid conjugates; odorless volatiles; hydroxycinnamic acids and many others. Flavor precursors mainly originate in the grape berry, but also from oak or other materials involved in winemaking. Flavors are released from precursors during crushing and subsequent production steps by enzymatic and non-enzymatic transformations, via microbial glycosidases; esterases; C-S lyases and decarboxylases; and through acid catalysed hydrolysis and chemical rearrangements. Flavors can also be liberated from glycosides and amino acid conjugates by oral microbiota. Hence, it is increasingly likely that flavor precursors contribute to retronasal aroma formation through in-mouth release during consumption, prompting a shift in focus from identifying aroma precursors in grapes to understanding aroma precursors present in bottled wine.

Parker M et al (2017) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (in press) DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b05255

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