Two Decades of “Horse Sweat” Taint and Brettanomyces Yeasts in Wine: Where do We Stand Now?

The unwanted modification of wine sensory attributes by yeasts of the species Brettanomyces bruxellensis due to the production of volatile phenols is presently the main microbiological threat to red wine quality. The effects of ethylphenols and other metabolites on wine flavor is now recognized worl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Beverages (Basel) 2018-06, Vol.4 (2), p.32
Main Author: Malfeito-Ferreira, Manuel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acids
Bacteria
Brettanomyces
Brettanomyces bruxellensis
Dekkera
Ethanol
Flavor
Flavors
Food
Metabolism
Metabolites
Natural environment
Object recognition
off-flavors
Perfect state
Phenols
Prevention
Sensory evaluation
Sensory properties
spoilage
Substrates
Sweat
volatile phenols
wine
Wineries
Wines
Yeasts
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The unwanted modification of wine sensory attributes by yeasts of the species Brettanomyces bruxellensis due to the production of volatile phenols is presently the main microbiological threat to red wine quality. The effects of ethylphenols and other metabolites on wine flavor is now recognized worldwide and the object of lively debate. The focus of this review is to provide an update of the present knowledge and practice on the prevention of this problem in the wine industry. Brettanomyces bruxellensis, or its teleomorph, Dekkera bruxellensis, are rarely found in the natural environment and, although frequently isolated from fermenting substrates, their numbers are relatively low when compared with other fermenting species. Despite this rarity, they have long been studied for their unusual metabolical features (e.g., the Custers effect). Rising interest over the last decades is mostly due to volatile phenol production affecting high quality red wines worldwide. The challenges have been dealt with together by researchers and winemakers in an effective way and this has enabled a state where, presently, knowledge and prevention of the problem at the winery level is readily accessible. Today, the main issues have shifted from technological to sensory science concerning the effects of metabolites other than ethylphenols and the over estimation of the detrimental impact by ethylphenols on flavor. Hopefully, these questions will continue to be tackled together by science and industry for the benefit of wine enjoyment.
ISSN:2306-5710
2306-5710
DOI:10.3390/beverages4020032