Evaluation of the Bio-Protective Effect of Native Candida Yeasts on Sauvignon Blanc Wines

Abstract

Studying non-Saccharomyces yeasts as bio-protectors can help find new alternatives to the chemical additive SO2 in winemaking. The present article evaluates the effect of two native yeasts, Candida oleophila and Candida boidinii, as potential bio-protectors to replace SO2 during the production of Sauvignon Blanc wine. Fermentation was conducted on simple and mixed inoculum at two concentrations, 1 × 106 and 1 × 107 cells/mL. We monitored the population of deterioration microorganisms, including lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB), and Brettanomyces bruxellensis (BB), apart from the final chemical and volatile composition of the wine. The results were compared with fermentations protected with SO2, where Candida oleophila yeast was more effective against lactic acid bacteria, whereas Candida boidinii was more effective against acetic acid bacteria and Brettanomyces bruxellensis; meanwhile, the fermentations with the initial inoculum of 1 × 107 cells/mL showed better results than those with an inoculum of 1 × 106 cells/mL. Bio-protector use did not negatively affect wine quality, equaling the effectiveness of SO2 for spoilage microorganism inhibition. This study reveals for the first time the potential of Candida oleophila and Candida boidinii yeasts as bio-protectors in microbiological wine stabilization.