Indigenous lactic acid bacteria communities in alcoholic and malolactic fermentations of Tempranillo wines elaborated in ten wineries of La Rioja (Spain)

• Published in: Food research international Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 438 - 445
• Main Authors: GONZALEZ-ARENZANA, Lucía, SANTAMARIA, Pilar, LOPEZ, Rosa, LOPEZ-ALFARO, Isabel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: bacterial communities; biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; fermentation; Fermentations; Fermented food industries; Food industries; Food microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genotype; LAB ecology; lactic acid bacteria; Oenococcus oeni; PFGE; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis; Tempranillo; Wine; wine industry; wines; Wines and vinegars; Spain; Europe; Wine; PFGE; LAB ecology; Fermentations; Oenococcus oeni; Tempranillo; Malolactic fermentation; Alcoholic beverage; Lactic acid bacteria; Alcoholic fermentation; Bacteria; Rioja
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2012.11.008

Indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) communities have been analyzed for three years (2006, 2007 and 2008) during alcoholic (AF) and malolactic (MLF) fermentations of Tempranillo wines in ten wineries of La Rioja. The results showed that analytical composition of wines and physical–chemical conditions of elaboration influenced the LAB populations, the MLF duration and the percentage of each isolated species and strains. The highest diversity of LAB species was observed during AF in all the wineries. Oenococcus oeni was present in all studied stages of the fermentation process, being the predominant species at final AF stage. The study of 925 isolates of O. oeni by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) allowed the detection of a total of 112 distinct genotypes. Most fermentation stages of both AF and MLF showed mixed O. oeni strain populations, so that there were different genotypes able to share their ecological niche or tank in spontaneous MLF. The frequency of participation of each genotype varied either from year to year or from winery to winery. Otherwise, seven genotypes were detected in the three studied years and in at least three out of the ten studied wineries, being four of them also present in the three studied subzones of this region. These results suggest the existence of an endemic microbiota in this region, the adaptation of indigenous O. oeni strains to the winery conditions every year and the interest of selecting predominant genotypes in order to preserve the biodiversity and peculiarity of these wines. ► The highest number of LAB species was detected during alcoholic fermentation. ► Mixed populations and great O. oeni strain diversity were observed. ► Genotypes at each winery sometimes were distinctive and others were coincident. ► An endemic microbiota adapted to ecological conditions of this region was surmised. ► Dominant genotypes were interesting to selection process and preserve biodiversity.