Extremely Low Temperature Fermentations of Grape Must by Potato-Supported Yeast, Strain AXAZ-1. A Contribution Is Performed for Catalysis of Alcoholic Fermentation

Abstract

This investigation announces the use of potato pieces as a suitable support for cell immobilization resulting in extremely low temperature wine making. The results showed an increase of the total esters by immobilized cells and reduction of higher alcohols. Likewise, percentages of total esters on total volatiles were increased by the drop in temperature, while percentages of higher alcohols were reduced in wines. Kinetics experiments at different temperatures allowed the calculation of activation energy (Ea) and showed reduction in the case of immobilized cells as compared with free cells. These results may lead to the conclusion that the increased productivities that are obtained by immobilized cells, can be attributed to the catalytic activity by the support to enzymes, which are involved in the process. Biocatalysts were prepared by immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, strain AXAZ-1, on whole potatoes and potato pieces, and their efficiency for alcoholic repeated batch fermentations of glucose and grape must in the range 2-30 degrees C was examined. To study the operational stability of biocatalyst, 35 repeated batch fermentations of grape must were performed without any significant reduction of the fermentation activity. Wines were analyzed for volatile byproducts determination by GC and GC-MS.