Selection and use of pectinolytic yeasts for improving clarification and phenolic extraction in winemaking

• M. pulcherrima, M. fructicola and A. pullulans have shown polygalacturonase activity.
• Pectinolytic activity of M. pulcherrima had a positive influence on cold soak.
• M. pulcherrima improved clarification and phenolic extraction in semi-industrial scale.

Pectinase enzymes have shown a considerable influence in both, sensitive and technological properties of wines. They can help to improve clarification process, releasing more color and flavor compounds entrapped in grape skin, facilitating the liberation of phenolic compounds. This work aims to find yeasts that, because of their native pectinases, can be applied on combined fermentations with Saccharomyces cerevisiae obtaining significant benefits over single-inoculated traditional fermentations. 462 yeast strains isolated from wineries were identified and tested for several enzymatic activities of recognized interest for enology industry. Considering the 7 identified species, only Aureobasidium pullulans, Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Metschnikowia fructicola showed polygalacturonase activity. Because of its interest in winemaking, due to its reported incidence in wine flavor, the impact of M. pulcherrima as a source of pectinolytic enzymes was analyzed by measuring its influence in filterability, turbidity and the increase on color, anthocyanin and polyphenol content of wines fermented in combination with S. cerevisiae. Among the strains screened, M. pulcherrima NS-EM-34 was selected, due to its polygalacturonase activity, for further characterization in both, laboratory and semi-industrial scale assays. The kinetics concerning several metabolites of enological concern were followed during the entire fermentation process at microvinification scale. Improved results were obtained in the expected parameters when M. pulcherrima NS-EM-34 was used, in comparison to wines fermented with S. cerevisiae alone and combined with other pectinolytic and non-pectinolytic yeasts (A. pullulans and Lachancea thermotolerans, respectively), even working better than commercial enzymes preparations in most parameters. Additionally, M. pulcherrima NS-EM-34 was used at a semi-industrial scale combined with three different S. cerevisiae strains, confirming its potential application for red wine improvement on the mentioned sensorial and technological properties.