A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Optimizing inoculation strategies with Lachancea thermotolerans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae for enhanced wine acidity management and fermentative performance
Authors: Vicente, Javier; Navascués, Eva; Kelanne, Niina; Santos, Antonio; Yang, Baoru; Benito, Santiago
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Applied Food Research
Journal name in source: Applied Food Research
Article number: 101306
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
eISSN: 2772-5022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2025.101306
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2025.101306
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/499635670
Maintaining adequate acidity in wine is essential for microbial stability, colour preservation, and sensory quality—factors increasingly challenged by climate change, which promotes grape ripening conditions that reduce acidity and raise pH. Lachancea thermotolerans offers a promising biotechnological solution through its capacity to produce lactic acid during alcoholic fermentation. This study evaluated how different inoculation strategies—namely co-inoculation and sequential inoculation—using varying ratios of L. thermotolerans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae affected wine acidification and fermentative efficiency. Co-inoculations with higher proportions of L. thermotolerans led to significant increases in total acidity, achieving acidification levels comparable to those of sequential inoculation, without impairing fermentation kinetics. However, excessive acid production was associated with slower fermentations and elevated residual sugar levels. In addition to lactic acid, co-inoculation impacted the concentrations of other organic acids (e.g., malic and succinic acids), as well as glycerol content, contributing to the final acidity and mouthfeel of the wine. Notable shifts in volatile composition, including esters and higher alcohols, were also observed. These findings highlight the importance of optimising inoculation ratios in mixed fermentations to achieve a balance between acidification and fermentation performance, offering practical guidance for biological acidification under warming climate conditions.
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Funding information in the publication:
Funding was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, and the State Investigation Agency under the framework of Project VinSegCalClim (PID2020-119008RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and by the Spanish Center for the Development of Industrial Technology under the framework of Project LowpHWine (IDI-20210391). Javier Vicente conducted this research under a fellowship from Complutense University of Madrid (CT58/21-CT59/21).