Seleção de bactérias para fermentação malolática de vinhos

Abstract

Brazilian wines, mainly from Rio Grande do Sul, often have high acidity due to the different maturation of the grapes. This acidity is determined by high concentrations of malic acid. In order to attenuate the fixed acidity in the wines, the musts are subjected to malolactic fermentation during or after the alcoholic fermentation. In oenological practice, this fermentation represents problems, occurring in an uncontrolled way and in many cases not coming to an end. Although often efficient, spontaneous malolactic fermentation, depending on the bacteria present in the grape or canteen, varies from fermentation to fermentation and from year to year, and is now one of the critical points in the winemaking process. Strains of Oenococcus oeni and Lactobacillus sp., Species of lactic bacteria, are predominant in this fermentation process. Parameters such as pH, sulfur dioxide (SO2), alcohol content and temperature are the most important that affect the performance of these bacteria in wine. Other bacterial species may add undesirable characteristics to the final product, such as the production of bioactive amines, impertinent odor and bacteriocins that inhibit malolactic fermentation. This work aimed at the selection and identification of native lactic bacteria from the Serra Gaúcha wineries. A total of 34 bacteria were isolated from samples of malolactic fermentation, of which only 16 were classified as lactic acid. Not all 16 bacteria obtained good growth in liquid medium. The fermentative glucose test with evaluation of acid and gas production showed that some isolates did not acidify or produce gas. Already the carbohydrate fermentation test, which used 14 carbohydrates, found that the bacteria have a preference inmetabolizing disaccharides and monosaccharides. In the fermentative tests in synthetic wort, some isolates were able to significantly alter the pH, reducing the cidity, but did not present turbidity. The malolactic fermentation in this experiment was accompanied qualitatively in paper chromatography and, even with growthproblems, some isolates were able to effect a good malolactic fermentation. With respect to the evaluation of the sensitivity to potassium metabisulphite (K2S2O5), different pH levels and different concentrations of ethanol, the isolates were better eveloped at lower concentrations of K2S2O5 and lower alcoholic strength. PH levels near 3.5 were preferred for bacterial development. The existence of microvinification in synthetic wine with 10% ethanolic degree, only by four isolates that demonstrated good malolactic fermentation in must, certified that the lower the alcohol concentration, the lower the interference in the fermentation. In this experiment, the degradation was evaluated qualitatively / quantitatively, using paper chromatography and enzymatic kit. There was a change in pH, confirming the conversion of malic acid to lactic acid by all isolates. The final classification of the isolates included the species Lactobacillus suebicus, Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus plantarum