Open AccessMicrobiological control of alcoholic fermentation
Author(s) -
Albert Mas,
Gemma Beltran,
María Jesús Torija
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
ecocycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2416-2140
DOI - 10.19040/ecocycles.v6i2.181
Subject(s) - wine , fermentation , quality (philosophy) , control (management) , process (computing) , ethanol fermentation , yeast , fermentation in winemaking , antimicrobial , environmental science , microbiology and biotechnology , business , food science , biochemical engineering , pulp and paper industry , chemistry , engineering , biology , computer science , philosophy , organic chemistry , biochemistry , operating system , epistemology , artificial intelligence
Alcoholic fermentation and the production of wine has accompanied humanity for more than 10000 years. However, it has been only in the last 50 years when the winemakers have had the tools to manage and control the process. The methodology to analyze and monitor the succession of the microorganisms that participate in the process along with the effective use of antimicrobial compounds (for instance sulfur dioxide), the control of the temperature and, above all, the use of cellar-friendly fermentation starters (mostly as Active Dry Wine Yeast) have provided the appropriate conditions for that control. However, the use of a limited number of commercial presentations of the starters has generated an unwanted uniformity of the wines produced. Furthermore, new tendencies in wine making with limited or no human intervention have considered these tolls as a negative aspect in the wine quality, although most of these concerns are only philosophical, without clear scientific evidence. We present a revision of the present state of the art in these methodologies where our research group has been working for the last 25 years.