Freeze-dried wheat supported biocatalyst for low temperature wine making

A new biocatalyst was prepared by immobilization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae AXAZ-1 yeast cells on whole wheat grains. This biocatalyst was subjected to freeze-drying and the effects of several protective agents and storage at 5 °C on viability and fermentative activity of yeasts cells were studied. Glycerol was the best protective agent that preserved the viability of immobilized yeast cells even after 9 month storage. After freeze-drying the biocatalyst was used for repeated batch wine making at extremely low temperatures until 5 °C. The produced wines were analyzed for volatile byproducts by GC and GC/MS and the results showed that the freeze-dried immobilized biocatalysts, with glycerol as protectant, produced wines with higher formation of esters than free cells, having at least similar aromatic profile to those produced by wet biocatalysts.