Hydrogen sulfide production during yeast fermentation causes the accumulation of ethanethiol, S-ethyl thioacetate and diethyl disulfide

• The first in vivo study of VSCs linked to H2S formation during winemaking.
• Ethanethiol, S-ethyl thioacetate and diethyl disulfide rise in wine fermented with H2S.
• 34S-labeled sulfate was incorporated into these same VSCs by H2S-producing yeast.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced by yeast during winemaking and possesses off-flavors reminiscent of rotten eggs. The production of H2S during fermentation has also been associated in the finished wine with the rise of additional volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) with strong aromas of cooked onions and vegetables. To characterize these more complex VSCs produced from H2S, we performed fermentations in synthetic grape juice. H2S production was manipulated experimentally by feeding increasing concentrations of sulfate to mutant strains that are unable to incorporate H2S efficiently as part of the sulfur assimilation pathway. In finished wines from these mutants, three VSCs – ethanethiol, S-ethyl thioacetate and diethyl disulfide – increased proportionally to H2S. 34S-labeled sulfate fed to the MET17-deleted strain was incorporated into same three VSCs, demonstrating that they are formed directly from H2S.