Effects of fermentation temperature and Saccharomyces species on the cell fatty acid composition and presence of volatile compounds in wine

Low temperature alcoholic fermentations are becoming more frequent due to the wish to produce wines with more pronounced aromatic profiles. However, their biggest drawback is the high risk of stuck and sluggish fermentations. Changes in the plasma membrane composition may be an adaptive response to low temperature fermentations. The production of volatile compounds and the changes in the membrane fatty acids were determined by GC to show the degree of cell adaptation and performance at low temperatures (13 degreesC) taking 25 degreesC as reference. The tests were done in two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and one strain of Saccharomyces bayanus. Low temperatures restricted yeast growth and lengthened the fermentations. The analysis of plasma membrane fatty acids showed that dry yeasts had similar levels of unsaturation, between 70% and 80%, with no medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Long-chain saturated fatty acids (SFA) were the most frequent membrane fatty acids throughout the fermentations. Lipid composition changed with the growth temperature. The optimal membrane fluidity at low temperatures was modulated by changes in the unsaturation degree in S. cerevisiae strains. In S. bayanus. however, this change in the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) percentage was not observed at different growth temperatures but the concentration of MCFA at low fermentation temperatures was higher. Concentrations of volatile compounds were higher in wines produced at lower temperatures and depended on the strain. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.