Organic cultivation of grape affects yeast succession and wine sensory quality during spontaneous fermentation

Unveiling the potential of Muscadine grape Skin extract as an innovative therapeutic intervention in cancer treatment

The use of muscadine grape extracts (MGSE). in cancer treatment has gained attention due to its distinctive composition of polyphenols and antioxidants. This review analyses the reported anti-cancer properties of MGSE. The study commences by reviewing the phytochemical composition of MGSE, highlighting the presence of resveratrol and ellagic acid. Furthermore, the review underscores the mechanism of action of these active compounds in MGSE in combating cancer cells. The anti-cancer potential of MGSE compared to other plant extracts is also discussed. In addition, it highlights MGSE's superiority and distinct phytochemical composition in preventing cancer growth by comparing its anti-cancer compounds with those of other anti-cancer medicinal plants. Lastly, the combinatory approaches of MGSE with traditional cancer therapies, its safety, and its possible side effects were highlighted. This work provides an understanding of the anti-cancer properties of MGSE, positioning it as a valuable and unique challenge within the field of cancer therapy.

Spontaneous fermentation of Maraština wines: The correlation between autochthonous mycobiota and phenolic compounds

Understanding fungal community dynamics during fermentation is important for assessing their influence on wine's phenolic content. The present study represents the first effort to explore the correlation between the autochthonous mycobiota of Maraština grapes collected from Dalmatian winegrowing sub-regions in Croatia and the phenolic composition, as well as the physicochemical parameters of wines produced through spontaneous fermentation. The metataxonomic approach revealed Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Metschnikowia fructicola and Hanseniaspora uvarum as the core mycobiota detected at the initial phase of fermentation. By contrast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae took over the dominance starting from the middle stage of fermentation. The wine's phenolic compounds were revealed by high-performance liquid chromatography, with tyrosol being the most abundant. Rhodotorula babjevae and Botrytis cinerea showed a positive correlation with p-hydroxybenzoic acid, gentisic acid, caffeic acid and cinnamic acid, while demonstrating a negative correlation with protocatechuic acid and chlorogenic acid. Heterophoma novae-verbascicola exhibited the opposite behaviour regarding the same phenolic compounds. The concentration of lactic acid was positively correlated with B. cinerea and negatively correlated with Het. novae-verbascicola. These findings serve as a foundation for in-depth investigations into the role of autochthonous grape mycobiota in phenolic transformation during spontaneous fermentation, potentially leading to the production of high-quality wines with unique terroir characteristics. Future studies should aim to explore the specific role played by individual yeast isolates in the formation of phenolic compounds.

A comparative study of the effect of bacteria and yeasts communities on inoculated and spontaneously fermented apple cider

Understanding bacteria and yeasts communities can reduce unpredictable changes of apple cider. In this study, apple juice inoculated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae WET 136 and fermented spontaneously were compared, the relationships of bacteria, yeasts, organic acids, and volatiles were analyzed. Results showed that microbial diversity affected the fermentation, organic acids and volatiles in apple ciders. In the first four spontaneous fermentation days, LAB (lactic acid bacteria) multiplied and reached 7.89 lg CFU/mL, and then triggered malolactic fermentation (MLF), leading to malic acid decreased by 3880.52 mg/L and lactic acid increased by 4787.55 mg/L. The citric, succinic and fumaric acids content was 2171.14, 701.51 and 8.06 mg/L lower than that in inoculated cider, respectively. Although the yeasts multiplied during spontaneous fermentation, it did not reach 7.50 lg CFU/mL until the 5th day, which led to a long lag period, as well as later and lower production of acetaldehyde and higher alcohols. The inoculated yeast inhibited LAB, acetic acid bacteria, Rahnella, and non-Saccharomyces. Yeasts were the key to produce citric acid, acetaldehyde and 3-methyl-1-butanol in apple cider; while bacteria were closely related to the formation of lactic acid, acetic acid and ethyl acetate. It suggested that low higher alcohols and acetaldehyde can be realized by selecting yeasts, and Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides can work as candidate to reduce L-malic and citric acids in apple cider.

The ecology of wine fermentation: a model for the study of complex microbial ecosystems

The general interest in microbial ecology has skyrocketed over the past decade, driven by technical advances and by the rapidly increasing appreciation of the fundamental services that these ecosystems provide. In biotechnology, ecosystems have many more functionalities than single species, and, if properly understood and harnessed, will be able to deliver better outcomes for almost all imaginable applications. However, the complexity of microbial ecosystems and of the interactions between species has limited their applicability. In research, next generation sequencing allows accurate mapping of the microbiomes that characterise ecosystems of biotechnological and/or medical relevance. But the gap between mapping and understanding, to be filled by "functional microbiomics", requires the collection and integration of many different layers of complex data sets, from molecular multi-omics to spatial imaging technologies to online ecosystem monitoring tools. Holistically, studying the complexity of most microbial ecosystems, consisting of hundreds of species in specific spatial arrangements, is beyond our current technical capabilities, and simpler model systems with fewer species and reduced spatial complexity are required to establish the fundamental rules of ecosystem functioning. One such ecosystem, the ecosystem responsible for natural alcoholic fermentation, can provide an excellent tool to study evolutionarily relevant interactions between multiple species within a relatively easily controlled environment. This review will critically evaluate the approaches that are currently implemented to dissect the cellular and molecular networks that govern this ecosystem. KEY POINTS: • Evolutionarily isolated fermentation ecosystem can be used as an ecological model. • Experimental toolbox is gearing towards mechanistic understanding of this ecosystem. • Integration of multidisciplinary datasets is key to predictive understanding.

Learning from 80 years of studies: a comprehensive catalogue of non-Saccharomyces yeasts associated with viticulture and winemaking

Non-Saccharomyces yeast species are nowadays recognized for their impact on wine´s chemical composition and sensorial properties. In addition, new interest has been given to the commercial exploitation of non-Saccharomyces starter cultures in the wine sector. However, over many years, these yeast species were considered sources of contamination in wine production and conservation, mainly due to the high levels of volatile acidity obtained. The present manuscript systematizes 80 years of literature describing non-Saccharomyces yeast species isolated from grapes and/or grape musts. A link between each reference, the accepted taxonomic name of each species and their geographical occurrence is presented, compiling information for 293 species, in a total of 231 citations. One major focus of this work relates to the isolation of non-Saccharomyces yeasts from grapevines usually ignored in most sampling studies, also as isolation from damaged grapes. These particular niches are sources of specific yeast species, which are not identified in most other explored environments. These yeasts have high potential to be explored for important and diversified biotechnological applications.

Organic Winemaking and Its Subsets; Biodynamic, Natural, and Clean Wine in California

From the ancient times, when wine/oenos was described as "Wine, the benevolent demon" by ancient Greek gastronomist and philosopher Athinaios in "Dipnosofistes", to modern days, the craft has seen significant fruition. The wine industry has evolved over time, and more so recently, to encompass many different subsets, one of which is the organic wine market. The organic wine industry has grown in recent years, especially in California. This rapid gain in interest has resulted in the evolution of several subsets, including biodynamic, natural, and clean wine. While biodynamic and natural wine, function more as a fulfillment of niche markets, clean wine may provide benefits for consumers that otherwise suffer from side effects of wine consumption. Low sulfite levels and lack of histamines in clean wine plausibly decrease headaches and adverse effects some consumers experience when drinking wine. An overview of the organic wine industry and its evolution with potential contributions to consumers, with an emphasis on clean wine, is discussed herein.

Phytochemical Profiles, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Seeds and Skin from Organic and Conventional Vineyards

The therapeutic benefits of extracts obtained from different red grape fractions were thoroughly studied, however, data regarding the comparison of phytochemical extracts prepared from the same varieties coming from organic versus conventional management systems are rather lacking. The present study aimed at comparing some of the phytochemical characteristics and antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic (50% v/v) extracts obtained from four varieties of red grapes cultivated respectively in organic and conventional vineyards. Total flavonoid content, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity were determined by molecular absorption spectroscopy. Antimicrobial activity of the studied extracts was evaluated against common bacterial strains isolated from different habitats according to specific lab procedures. The analyses were performed in solid broths by applying the disk diffusion method, which allowed for the simultaneous determination of the spectrum of the sensitivity of the tested bacteria as well as the values of the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC). It was found that favorable antagonistic activities against the tested bacteria strains were exhibited by the hydroalcoholic extracts from the seeds of the organic varieties, respectively the skin of the conventional varieties.

Comparison of microbial diversity during two different wine fermentation processes

Wine production is a complex procedure in which an important role is played by many microorganisms, particularly yeasts and bacteria. In modern wineries, alcoholic fermentation is usually carried out by adding microbial starter cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for precisely controlled production. Nowadays, in the Slovak Republic, autochthonous vinification is getting more popular. The present article deals with the comparison of two vinification approaches, namely spontaneous fermentation and fermentation controlled by a standard commercial S. cerevisiae starter, from the point of view of microbiota dynamics and the chemical characteristics of the wines produced. The dynamics of microbial populations were determined during the fermentation process by a 16S and 28S rRNA next-generation sequencing approach. A profile of the volatile compounds during these fermentation processes was identified by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In summary, the microbial diversity in the m1 phase (initial must) was higher, despite the presence of the starter culture. In the m3 phase (young wine), the microbiome profiles of both batches were very similar. It seems that the crucial phase in order to study the relationship of the microbiome and the resulting product should be based on the m2 phase (fermented must), where the differences between the autochthonous and inoculated batches were more evident.

Changes in the physicochemical components, polyphenol profile, and flavor of persimmon wine during spontaneous and inoculated fermentation

Changes in the oenological parameters, total phenols, total flavonoids, and individual phenols of persimmon during spontaneous and inoculated fermentation were investigated. The volatile compounds and sensory character of the persimmon wine were compared and evaluated simultaneously. Results show that at the end of fermentation, spontaneous persimmon wine (SPW) has higher contents of total flavonoids, total phenols yet lower concentrations of alcohol and volatile compounds than inoculated persimmon wine (IPW). Catechin, salicylic acid, quercetin, and vanillic acid were the main phenolic compounds in both types of persimmon wine. There are six volatile components in the IPW with an OAV greater than 1, which are isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, methyl octanoate, ethyl octanoate, phenethyl acetate, and 2, 4-di-tert-butylphenol, and these compounds contribute to the IPW with brandy and fruity sensory properties, while only three volatile components in SPW have OAV greater than 1, which are isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, and ethyl octanoate. Spontaneous fermentation increased the proportion of esters and alcohols in the overall volatile compounds. During sensory evaluation, IPW was characterized by "brandy," "bitterness," and low "sweetness," and SPW has a high score of "sweetness," "balance," desirable "color," and "body."