Inactivation of Brettanomyces/ Dekkera in wine barrels by high power ultrasound

摘要

While grape quality is recognised as the key component in the production of high quality wine, oak barrels are a critical ingredient in the production of red and certain white table wine styles. In modern winemaking, barrel stocks form a significant component of a winery's capital expenditure, representing the second greatest cost element in wine production (Anon. 2005). Barrels require considerable care and attention, are difficult to clean and impossible to sterilise if they become contaminated with spoilage micro-organisms (Boulton et al. 1996). They are sources of Brettanomyces/Dekkera and other spoilage yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria that can impart undesirable aroma and flavour compounds, such as 4-ethylphenol, 4-ethylguaiacol, 4-ethylcatechol, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, ethyl acetate, 2,4,6 trichloroanisole, tribromoanisole and 2-acetyltetrahydropyridine (Baldwin 1996; Fugelsang 1997; Hickin 1999; Leske 1999; Grbin and Henschke 2000; Fernandez et al. 2007; Anon. 2008), all of which can seriously compromise wine quality and lead to product loss.