Occurrence of lactic acid bacteria and biogenic amines in biologically aged wines

Effect of precursors and stress factors on yeast isolated from fermented maesil extract and their biogenic amine formation

Biogenic amines are produced during fermentation and can act as harmful substances. Strains related to the fermentation of maesil extract were identified and Clavispora lusitaniae and Pichia kluyveri were selected to investigate the relationship between biogenic amines and precursors, NaCl or ethanol. Biogenic amines were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Among precursors added, arginine was most effective for the biogenic amines formation. After 24 h incubation, the content of total biogenic amines increased from 37.60 to 51.75 mL/L for C. lusitaniae and from 2.60 to 33.30 mL/L for P. kluyveri in arginine-added medium. The number of yeast decreased in both NaCl- and ethanol-YM broth added with arginine, but there was no correlation between the number of yeast and biogenic amines. These results suggested that the formation of biogenic amines by yeast was affected by various factors and their interactions rather than a single factor, such as decarboxylase activity and stress factor.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01328-8.

Identification, Characterization, and Production Optimization of 6-Methoxy-1H-Indole-2-Carboxylic Acid Antifungal Metabolite Produced by Bacillus toyonensis Isolate OQ071612

Fungal infections currently pose a real threat to human lives. In the current study, soil bacterial isolates were screened for the production of antifungal compounds to combat human fungal pathogens. Notably, the bacterial F1 isolate exhibited antimycotic action towards the Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and Aspergillus niger clinical isolates. By employing phenotypic and molecular techniques, we identified the F1 isolate as the Bacillus toyonensis isolate OQ071612. The purified extract showed stability within a pH range of 6-7 and at temperatures of up to 50 °C. It demonstrated potential antifungal activity in the presence of various surfactants, detergents, and enzymes. The purified extract was identified as 6-methoxy-1H-Indole-2-carboxylic acid using advanced spectroscopic techniques. To optimize the antifungal metabolite production, we utilized response surface methodology (RSM) with a face-centered central composite design, considering nutritional and environmental variables. The optimal conditions were as follows: starch (5 g/L), peptone (5 g/L), agitation rate of 150 rpm, pH 6, and 40 °C temperature. A confirmatory experiment validated the accuracy of the optimization process, resulting in an approximately 3.49-fold increase in production. This is the first documented report on the production and characterization of 6-methoxy-1H-Indole-2-carboxylic acid (MICA) antifungal metabolite from Bacillus toyonensis.

The Life of Saccharomyces and Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts in Drinking Wine

Drinking wine is a processed beverage that offers high nutritional and health benefits. It is produced from grape must, which undergoes fermentation by yeasts (and sometimes lactic acid bacteria) to create a product that is highly appreciated by consumers worldwide. However, if only one type of yeast, specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was used in the fermentation process, the resulting wine would lack aroma and flavor and may be rejected by consumers. To produce wine with a desirable taste and aroma, non-Saccharomyces yeasts are necessary. These yeasts contribute volatile aromatic compounds that significantly impact the wine's final taste. They promote the release of primary aromatic compounds through a sequential hydrolysis mechanism involving several glycosidases unique to these yeasts. This review will discuss the unique characteristics of these yeasts (Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Pichia kluyveri, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Hanseniaspora vineae, Lachancea thermotolerans, Candida stellata, and others) and their impact on wine fermentations and co-fermentations. Their existence and the metabolites they produce enhance the complexity of wine flavor, resulting in a more enjoyable drinking experience.

Analytical and Chemometric Characterization of Fino and Amontillado Sherries during Aging in Criaderas y Solera System

Fino and Amontillado are Sherry wines, produced in Marco de Jerez area (southern Spain), and aged in Criaderas y Solera system. Fino Sherry wine follows a biological aging process, under a veil of flor yeasts, while Amontillado Sherry wine shares the same biological aging firstly, followed by oxidative aging, which gives them special features. Organic acids, esters, higher alcohols, phenolic compounds and total dry extract of Sherries evolve during aging due to evaporation processes, physical-chemical reactions, wood contributions and microbiological activity. During aging, Sherry wines improve their organoleptic profile, as could be proved in the tasting sessions. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and Factor Analysis with factor extraction using Principal Components of Sherry wines studied were carried out and natural groupings of the wines according to the type of aging and their age were observed. A strong correlation between the parameters analyzed and the aging of each wine has been seen in the Multiple Linear Regression studies, establishing two different models, one for each type of Sherry wine, that, with only four of all the variables studied estimated the wine age with more than 99% of confidence. This constitutes a useful tool to control the age of these Sherry wines in the winery.

Lysinibacillus Isolate MK212927: A Natural Producer of Allylamine Antifungal ‘Terbinafine’

Resistance to antifungal agents represents a major clinical challenge, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in immunocompromised patients. In this study, we screened soil bacterial isolates for the capability of producing metabolites with antifungal activities via the cross-streak and agar cup-plate methods. One isolate, coded S6, showed observable antifungal activity against Candida (C.) albicans ATCC 10231 and Aspergillus (A.) niger clinical isolate. This strain was identified using a combined approach of phenotypic and molecular techniques as Lysinibacillus sp. MK212927. The purified metabolite displayed fungicidal activity, reserved its activity in a relatively wide range of temperatures (up to 60 °C) and pH values (6–7.8) and was stable in the presence of various enzymes and detergents. As compared to fluconazole, miconazole and Lamisil, the minimum inhibitory concentration of the metabolite that showed 90% inhibition of the growth (MIC₉₀) was equivalent to that of Lamisil, half of miconazole and one fourth of fluconazole. Using different spectroscopic techniques such as FTIR, UV spectroscopy, 1D NMR and 2D NMR techniques, the purified metabolite was identified as terbinafine, an allylamine antifungal agent. It is deemed necessary to note that this is the first report of terbinafine production by Lysinibacillus sp. MK212927, a fast-growing microbial source, with relatively high yield and that is subject to potential optimization for industrial production capabilities.

Biodiversity of Oenological Lactic Acid Bacteria: Species- and Strain-Dependent Plus/Minus Effects on Wine Quality and Safety

Winemaking depends on several elaborate biochemical processes that see as protagonist either yeasts or lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of oenological interest. In particular, LAB have a fundamental role in determining the quality chemical and aromatic properties of wine. They are essential not only for malic acid conversion, but also for producing several desired by-products due to their important enzymatic activities that can release volatile aromatic compounds during malolactic fermentation (e.g., esters, carbonyl compounds, thiols, monoterpenes). In addition, LAB in oenology can act as bioprotectors and reduce the content of undesired compounds. On the other hand, LAB can affect wine consumers’ health, as they can produce harmful compounds such as biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate under certain conditions during fermentation. Several of these positive and negative properties are species- and strain-dependent characteristics. This review focuses on these aspects, summarising the current state of knowledge on LAB’s oenological diversity, and highlighting their influence on the final product’s quality and safety. All our reported information is of high interest in searching new candidate strains to design starter cultures, microbial resources for traditional/typical products, and green solutions in winemaking. Due to the continuous interest in LAB as oenological bioresources, we also underline the importance of inoculation timing. The considerable variability among LAB species/strains associated with spontaneous consortia and the continuous advances in the characterisation of new species/strains of interest for applications in the wine sector suggest that the exploitation of biodiversity belonging to this heterogeneous group of bacteria is still rising.

Beer spoilage lactic acid bacteria from craft brewery microbiota: Microbiological quality and food safety

Craft beer is more susceptible to microbial spoilage because it does not have a pasteurization or filtration process, with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) being the most common beer spoilage microorganism. The aim of this study was to isolate LAB in a craft brewery and their characterization from a food safety and microbiological quality perspective, with a special focus on their abilities to produce biogenic amines (BA) and spoil the beer. The results of 60 monitored points inside the craft brewery showed that LAB associated with the craft brewing processes belonged to Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Leuconostoc genera, and most of them were detected in the filling area, which can lead to secondary contamination. Two isolates of L. brevis showed the most significant beer spoilage ability because they could grow in more acidic conditions, at a higher hop and alcohol content, and they displayed horA, horC, and hitA genes, which spoiled the vast majority of the tested beers. In addition, the aforementioned L. brevis isolates showed the highest BA production.

Octadecyl 3-(3, 5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoate, an antifungal metabolite of Alcaligenes faecalis strain MT332429 optimized through response surface methodology

In the current study, a soil bacterial isolate F2 expressed a significant antagonistic activity against Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and Aspergillus niger clinical isolate confirmed through cross streak, dual culture, and agar well diffusion methods. The isolate F2 was identified using phenotypic and molecular approaches as Alcaligenes (A.) faecalis MT332429. The identification and structural characterization of the antifungal compound was performed using advanced spectroscopic techniques including UV absorbance, ¹H and ¹³C NMR and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) and was identified as octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoate. Response surface methodology (RSM) using a central composite design was employed to optimize the nutritional and cultural variables affecting the antifungal metabolite yield. The optimum conditions were found to be temperature 30 °C, agitation 150 rpm, glucose 1 g/l, peptone 2 g/l, and pH 8. A confirmatory experiment was performed to assess the accuracy of the optimization procedure, where an increase in the antifungal metabolite production by about 2.48-fold was obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of octadecyl 3-(3, 5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoate recovered from the culture broth of A. faecalis MT332429 with a promising antifungal activity along with its optimized production through RSM. KEY POINTS: • A novel soil bacterial isolate, F2, identified as Alcaligenes faecalis MT332429, showed significant antagonistic activity against Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and Aspergillus niger clinical isolate. • This stable fungicidal extracellular metabolite was identified as octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoate. • Optimization using central composite design resulted in 2.48-fold increase in production reaching 213.82 μg/ml.

High-Throughput Sequencing Approach to Analyze the Effect of Aging Time and Barrel Usage on the Microbial Community Composition of Red Wines

Wine aged in barrels or bottles is susceptible to alteration by microorganisms that affect the final product quality. However, our knowledge of the microbiota during aging and the factors modulating the microbial communities is still quite limited. The present work uses high-throughput sequencing (HTS) techniques to deal with the meta-taxonomic characterization of microbial consortia present in red wines along 12 months aging. The wines obtained from two different grape varieties were aged at two different cellars and compared based on time of wine aging in the barrels, previous usage of the barrels, and differences between wine aging in oak barrels or glass bottles. The aging in barrels did not significantly affect the microbial diversity but changed the structure and composition of fungal and bacterial populations. The main microorganisms driving these changes were the bacterial genera Acetobacter, Oenococcus, Lactobacillus, Gluconobacter, Lactococcus, and Komagataeibacter and the fungal genera Malassezia, Hanseniaspora, and Torulaspora. Our results showed that the oak barrels increased effect on the microbial diversity in comparison with the glass bottles, in which the microbial community was very similar to that of the wine introduced in the barrels at the beginning of the aging. Furthermore, wine in the bottles harbored higher proportion of Lactobacillus but lower proportion of Acetobacter. Finally, it seems that 1 year of previous usage of the barrels was not enough to induce significant changes in the diversity or composition of microbiota through aging compared with new barrels. This is the first meta-taxonomic study on microbial communities during wine aging and shows that the microorganism composition of barrel-aged wines was similar at both cellars. These results hint at the possibility of a common and stable microbiota after aging in the absence of exogenous alterations. Further corroborations on the current outcome would be valuable for the comparison and detection of microbial alterations during aging that could potentially prevent economic losses in the wine industry.

Physicochemical and microbiological characterization of the sensory deviation responsible for the origin of the special sherry wines "palo cortado" type

The aim of this study was to characterize the biochemical changes and microbiological processes involved in the sensory deviation of "sobretablas" wines during biological aging, which leads to the origin of special or rare "palo cortado" wines. Industrial trials of biological aging of "sobretablas" wines with the potential for the development of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were performed to study this phenomenon. The results showed that sensory deviation was due to the development of malolactic fermentation (MLF) together with an attenuated aerobic metabolism of "flor" yeast. Malolactic fermentation (MLF) was promoted by the presence of malic acid concentrations that were higher than 1 g/L and the coexistence of LAB and "flor" velum yeast. Ethyl lactate, acetoin and 2,3-butanediol are some of the volatile compounds that are responsible for this sensory deviation. Wines with high levels of gluconic and malic acids (> 1 g/L) can cause, with very low probability, the sensory deviation of "palo cortado". A lysozyme dose of 12 g/hL is an effective treatment to avoid malolactic fermentation (MFL) and sensory deviation. Understanding the biochemical and microbiological changes involved in sensory deviation can be useful to wineries as markers to identify the origin of the special sherry wines "palo cortado" type.

Biogenic amines and other polar compounds in long aged oxidized Vernaccia di Oristano white wines

Oxidized white wines are produced by techniques that provide a barrel ageing which can range from a few years to some decades. This step, characterized by the metabolic activity of peculiar strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, can affect the chemical composition of these wines and the production of unwanted substances such as biogenic amines. In this study, Vernaccia di Oristano wines from different vintages have been analysed for the first time regarding the content of biogenic amines and amino acids (by HPLC-FLD), and polar compounds (by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS). Furthermore, colour and technological parameters (contents of alcohol, reducing sugars, total and volatile acidities, pH and organic acids) of the wines were also evaluated. Older samples showed dark shades, which may have derived from polyphenols' oxidation while ageing. Some typical ageing products, such as 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were found in larger quantities in these samples, as well as the purinic compound xanthine, which was also detected in relevant concentrations. Additionally, as expected, the average of the main biogenic amines quantified in Vernaccia di Oristano was higher compared to non-oxidized white wines, especially in the older samples. Thus, though this content does not exceed values which spoil the quality of the wine, the monitoring of the winemaking conditions is suggested, to further limit the presence of these undesirable compounds.

The Microbial Diversity of Sherry Wines

The principal role of wine yeast is to transform efficiently the grape-berries’ sugars to ethanol, carbon dioxide, and other metabolites, without the production of off-flavors. Wine yeast strains are able to ferment musts, while other commercial or laboratory strains fail to do so. The genetic differences that characterize wine yeast strains in contrast to the biological ageing of the veil-forming yeasts in Sherry wines are poorly understood. Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains frequently exhibit rather specific phenotypic features needed for adaptation to a special environment, like fortified wines with ethanol up to 15% (v/v), known as Sherry wines. Factors that affect the correct development of the veil of flor during ageing are also reviewed, along with the related aspects of wine composition, biofilm formation processes, and yeast autolysis. This review highlights the importance of yeast ecology and yeast metabolic reactions in determining Sherry wine quality and the wealth of untapped indigenous microorganisms co-existing with the veil-forming yeast strains. It covers the complexity of the veil forming wine yeasts’ genetic features, and the genetic techniques often used in strain selection and monitoring during fermentation or biological ageing. Finally, the outlook for new insights to protect and to maintain the microbiota of the Sherry wines will be discussed.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides LT-38, a Non-Spore-Forming Gram-Positive Lactic Acid Bacterium

The present study reports the complete genome sequence of Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain LT-38, which is a non-spore-forming Gram-positive lactic acid bacterium. The genome is composed of a 2,022,184-bp circular chromosome and contains 2,005 putative protein-coding genes.

Combined Use of S. pombe and L. thermotolerans in Winemaking. Beneficial Effects Determined Through the Study of Wines' Analytical Characteristics

The most common way to produce red wine is through the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for alcoholic fermentation and lactic acid bacteria for malolactic fermentation. This traditional winemaking methodology produces microbiologically stable red wines. However, under specific conditions off-flavours can occur, wine quality can suffer and human health problems are possible, especially after the second fermentation by the lactic acid bacteria. In warm countries, problems during the malolactic fermentation arise because of the high pH of the must, which makes it very difficult to properly control the process. Under such conditions, wines with high acetic acid and histamine concentrations are commonly produced. This study investigates a recent red wine-making technology that uses a combination of Lachancea thermotolerans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe as an alternative to the conventional malolactic fermentation. This work studies new parameters such as aroma compounds, amino acids, ethanol index and sensory evaluation. Schizosaccharomyces pombe totally consumes malic acid while Lachancea thermotolerans produces lactic acid, avoiding excessive deacidification of musts with low acidity in warm viticulture areas. This methodology also reduces the malolactic fermentation hazards in wines with low acidity. The main products are wines that contain less acetic acid, less biogenic amines and precursors and less ethyl carbamate precursors than the traditional wines produced via conventional fermentation techniques.

Selected Schizosaccharomyces pombe Strains Have Characteristics That Are Beneficial for Winemaking

At present, wine is generally produced using Saccharomyces yeast followed by Oenococus bacteria to complete malolactic fermentation. This method has some unsolved problems, such as the management of highly acidic musts and the production of potentially toxic products including biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate. Here we explore the potential of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to solve these problems. We characterise an extensive worldwide collection of S. pombe strains according to classic biochemical parameters of oenological interest. We identify three genetically different S. pombe strains that appear suitable for winemaking. These strains compare favourably to standard Saccharomyces cerevisiae winemaking strains, in that they perform effective malic acid deacidification and significantly reduce levels of biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate precursors without the need for any secondary bacterial malolactic fermentation. These findings indicate that the use of certain S. pombe strains could be advantageous for winemaking in regions where malic acid is problematic, and these strains also show superior performance with respect to food safety.

Bacteria isolated from Korean black raspberry vinegar with low biogenic amine production in wine

A high concentration of histamine, one of the biogenic amines (BAs) usually found in fermented foods, can cause undesirable physiological side effects in sensitive humans. The objective of this study is to isolate indigenous Acetobacter strains from naturally fermented Bokbunja vinegar in Korea with reduced histamine production during starter fermentation. Further, we examined its physiological and biochemical properties, including BA synthesis. The obtained strain MBA-77, identified as Acetobacter aceti by 16S rDNA homology and biochemical analysis and named A. aceti MBA-77. A. aceti MBA-77 showed optimal acidity % production at pH 5; the optimal temperature was 25 °C. When we prepared and examined the BAs synthesis spectrum during the fermentation process, Bokbunja wine fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that the histamine concentration increased from 2.72 of Bokbunja extract to 5.29 mg/L and cadaverine and dopamine was decreased to 2.6 and 10.12 mg/L, respectively. Bokbunja vinegar prepared by A. aceti MBA-77 as the starter, the histamine concentration of the vinegar preparation step was decreased up to 3.66 mg/L from 5.29 mg/L in the wine preparation step. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate acetic acid bacteria isolated from Bokbunja seed vinegar with low spectrum BA and would be useful for wellbeing vinegar preparation.

Preparative scale purification of fucosyl-N-acetylglucosamine disaccharides and their evaluation as potential prebiotics and antiadhesins

Fucosyl-N-acetylglucosamine disaccharides are important core structures that form part of human mucosal and milk glyco-complexes. We have previously shown that AlfB and AlfC α-L-fucosidases from Lactobacillus casei are able to synthesize fucosyl-α-1,3--N-acetylglucosamine (Fuc-α1,3-GlcNAc) and fucosyl-α-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine (Fuc-α1,6-GlcNAc), respectively, in transglycosylation reactions. Here, these reactions were performed in a semipreparative scale, and the produced disaccharides were purified. The maximum yields obtained of Fuc-α1,3-GlcNAc and Fuc-α1,6-GlcNAc were 4.2 and 9.3 g/l, respectively. The purified fucosyl-disaccharides were then analyzed for their prebiotic effect in vitro using strains from the Lactobacillus casei/paracasei/rhamnosus group and from Bifidobacterium species. The results revealed that 6 out of 11 L. casei strains and 2 out of 6 L. rhamnosus strains tested were able to ferment Fuc-α1,3-GlcNAc, and L. casei BL87 and L. rhamnosus BL327 strains were also able to ferment Fuc-α1,6-GlcNAc. DNA hybridization experiments suggested that the metabolism of Fuc-α1,3-GlcNAc in those strains relies in an α-L-fucosidase homologous to AlfB. Bifidobacterium breve and Bibidobacterium pseudocatenolatum species also metabolized Fuc-α1,3-GlcNAc. Notably, L-fucose was excreted from all the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains fermenting fucosyl-disaccharides, except from strains L. rhamnosus BL358 and BL377, indicating that in these latest strains, L-fucose was catabolized. The fucosyl-disaccharides were also tested for their inhibitory potential of pathogen adhesion to human colon adenocarcinoma epithelial (HT29) cell line. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strains isolated from infantile gastroenteritis were used, and the results showed that both fucosyl-disaccharides inhibited adhesion to different extents of certain EPEC strains to HT29 cells in tissue culture.

Antibacterial activity of hen egg white lysozyme modified by heat and enzymatic treatments against oenological lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria

The antimicrobial activity of heat-denatured and hydrolyzed hen egg white lysozyme against oenological lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria was investigated. The lysozyme was denatured by heating, and native and heat-denatured lysozymes were hydrolyzed by pepsin. The lytic activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus of heat-denatured lysozyme decreased with the temperature of the heat treatment, whereas the hydrolyzed lysozyme had no enzymatic activity. Heat-denatured and hydrolyzed lysozyme preparations showed antimicrobial activity against acetic acid bacteria. Lysozyme heated at 90°C exerted potent activity against Acetobacter aceti CIAL-106 and Gluconobacter oxydans CIAL-107 with concentrations required to obtain 50% inhibition of growth (IC50) of 0.089 and 0.013 mg/ml, respectively. This preparation also demonstrated activity against Lactobacillus casei CIAL-52 and Oenococcus oeni CIAL-91 (IC50, 1.37 and 0.45 mg/ml, respectively). The two hydrolysates from native and heat-denatured lysozyme were active against O. oeni CIAL-96 (IC50, 2.77 and 0.3 mg/ml, respectively). The results obtained suggest that thermal and enzymatic treatments increase the antibacterial spectrum of hen egg white lysozyme in relation to oenological microorganisms.

The influences of fish infusion broth on the biogenic amines formation by lactic acid bacteria

The influences of fish infusion decarboxylase broth (IDB) on biogenic amines (BA) formation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were investigated. BA productions by single LAB strains were tested in five different fish (anchovy, mackerel, white shark, sardine and gilthead seabream) IDB. The result of the study showed that significant differences in ammonia (AMN) and BA production were observed among the LAB strains in fish IDB (p < 0.05). The highest AMN and TMA production by LAB strains were observed for white shark IDB. The all tested bacteria had decarboxylation activity in fish IDB. The uppermost accumulated amines by LAB strains were tyramine (TYM), dopamine, serotonin and spermidine. The maximum histamine production was observed in sardine (101.69 mg/L) and mackerel (100.84 mg/L) IDB by Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris and Pediococcus acidophilus, respectively. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis and Pediococcus acidophilus had a high TYM producing capability (2943 mg/L and 1157 mg/L) in sardine IDB.

Production of tyramine by Enterococcus faecalis strains in water-boiled salted duck

The potential to produce biogenic amines was investigated with 15 Lactococcus lactis and 15 Enterococcus faecalis strains isolated from water-boiled salted duck. The production of biogenic amines from the isolated strains grown in de Man Rogosa Sharpe broth containing precursor amino acids was determined by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. None of the L. lactis strains produced any biogenic amines, whereas 12 strains of E. faecalis produced tyramine and b -phenylethylamine. PCR assays were used to detect the presence of tyrosine decarboxylase genes in all of the isolated strains. Only the 12 biogenic amine-producing Enterococcus strains had a 924-bp fragment characteristic for the tyrosine decarboxylase gene. The comparison of the amplified partial tyrDC gene sequences of the 12 positive Enterococcus strains revealed 99% similarity within the same species. The tyramine production of the sterilized water-boiled salted duck inoculated with E. faecalis R612Z1 increased significantly during storage. This study reveals that the isolated E. faecalis strains can produce tyramine and β-phenylethylamine in the medium; however, they can only produce tyramine in water-boiled salted duck.

Wine features related to safety and consumer health: an integrated perspective

This review presents a global view of the current situation of the scientific knowledge about aspects of wine with possible repercussions (positive or negative) on consumer health and wine safety. The presence in wine of some potential harmful compounds such as phytosanitary products, trace metal compounds, sulfites, and some toxics of microbial origin, such as ochratoxin A, ethyl carbamate, and biogenic amines, is discussed. The different strategies and alternative methodologies that are being carried out to reduce or to avoid the presence of these substances in wines are also discussed. In recent years much work has focused on establishing the scientific explanations for the positive biological effects of some wine compounds. In this review, we also examine the latest knowledge regarding wine and health, focusing on two types of compounds that have been related to the positive effects of moderate wine consumption, such as phenolic compounds and bioactive peptides.

Potential of wine-associated lactic acid bacteria to degrade biogenic amines

Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from fermented foods have been proven to degrade biogenic amines through the production of amine oxidase enzymes. Since little is known about this in relation to wine micro-organisms, this work examined the ability of LAB strains (n=85) isolated from wines and other related enological sources, as well as commercial malolactic starter cultures (n=3) and type strains (n=2), to degrade histamine, tyramine and putrescine. The biogenic amine-degrading ability of the strains was evaluated by RP-HPLC in culture media and wine malolactic fermentation laboratory experiments. Although at different extent, 25% of the LAB isolates were able to degrade histamine, 18% tyramine and 18% putrescine, whereas none of the commercial malolactic starter cultures or type strains were able to degrade any of the tested amines. The greatest biogenic amine-degrading ability was exhibited by 9 strains belonging to the Lactobacillus and Pediococcus groups, and most of them were able to simultaneously degrade at least two of the three studied biogenic amines. Further experiments with one of the strains that showed high biogenic amine-degrading ability (L. casei IFI-CA 52) revealed that cell-free extracts maintained this ability in comparison to the cell suspensions at pH 4.6, indicating that amine-degrading enzymes were effectively extracted from the cells and their action was optimal in the degradation of biogenic amines. In addition, it was confirmed that wine components such as ethanol (12%) and polyphenols (75 mg/L), and wine additives such as SO(2) (30 mg/L), reduced the histamine-degrading ability of L. casei IFI-CA 52 at pH 4.6 by 80%, 85% and 11%, respectively, in cell suspensions, whereas the reduction was 91%, 67% and 50%, respectively, in cell-free extracts. In spite of this adverse influence of the wine matrix, our results proved the potential of wine-associated LAB as a promising strategy to reduce biogenic amines in wine.

Sherry wines

Sherry wines are among the most distinctive Spanish wines, mainly produced in the southern Spain (particularly in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles), using traditional practices aimed at ensuring uniform quality and characteristics over time. Several types of Sherry wines are produced depending on the winemaking conditions. Fino-type wines are characterized by a dynamic biological aging, in which a layer of yeast grows in the surface of the wine (flor velum). On the contrary, Oloroso-type sherry wines are subjected to an oxidative aging, while Amontillado-type Sherries are produced by combining both production systems. Therefore, these wines undergo different biological and chemical processes that affect distinctively their chemical composition and their aroma and sensory characteristics. Through this review, the main aspects involved in the winemaking technology of sherry wines, and the latest scientific findings related to the microbiota of the flor film and other aspects associated to the changes in their chemical and sensory composition during aging will be revised. Some new trends in sherry wine technology focused on the acceleration of the biological aging or the use of organic grapes will be also considered.