Impact of high hydrostatic pressure and ultrasounds technologies in the autolytic process of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a model wine system

Abstract

Autolysis plays a crucial role as a technological tool in the ageing process of specific wines. This includes white, red and sparkling wines. During ageing on the lees, yeasts release different compounds that positively modify the composition of the wine. However, traditional autolytic methods can be time-consuming. This work evaluates the use of different ultrasound (US) and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatments to expedite the autolytic process in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a model wine system. The results suggest that treating yeast cells with US resulted in a faster release of nucleic acids, proteins, and total polysaccharides compared to HHP treatment. The environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) of the treated lees demonstrated that the impact on the yeast cell surface was more pronounced after exposure to US compared to treatments involving HHP. In conclusion, under these conditions the US treatment effectively triggered autolysis in the wine yeast strain, facilitating the release of macromolecules in a model wine.