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Malo‐alcoholic fermentation: the influence of operating conditions on the kinetics of deacidification

1991; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 2; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/09571269108717895

1469-9672

M. J. Lemos de Sousa, J. A. Teixeira, М. Мота,

Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis

Abstract Vinho Verde wines are typical of Portuguese wines, and have a high level of malic acid. Sometimes, the grape musts of such wines have too high a malate level, and this paper studies the possibility of using a strain of Schizosaccharomyces pombe to remove this excess of malate. The influence of malic acid concentration, ethanol concentration and aeration rate on the kinetics of malic acid utilization by a strain of S. pombe is studied. A linear model is developed that allows for the time control of final malic acid concentration. The maximum specific malic acid consumption rate (qm,max) is shown to increase in a linear relationship with initial malic acid concentration. For ethanol concentrations below 40 g l‐1 no significant change in the specific malate consumption rate (qm.max) is detected. Above this value, a drastic decrease is observed. Aeration also plays an important role in malo‐alcoholic fermentation. When no air is sparged in the fermentation medium, ethanol and qm,max are maximal. The kinetics of malic acid consumption are similar in strict anaerobiosis and under conditions when air is sparged in the fermentation medium.