Screening of enzymatic activities within different enological non-Saccharomyces yeasts

Ninety-seven non-Saccharomyces wine yeast strains belonging to ten different genera and species (Candida spp. and Criptococcus spp.; Debaryomyces hansenii, Lachancea thermotolerans, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia kluyveri, Sporidiobolus salmonicolor, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Williopsis pratensis and Zygosaccharomyces bailii) were screened for 13 enzymes related to wine aroma, color and clarity. Understanding the yeasts’ influence in these wine characteristics provides a platform for selecting strains for their development as starter cultures and for the management of alcoholic fermentation. Most of the strains showed the presence of one or more enzymes of biotechnological interest. Our screening demonstrated several intraspecific differences within the yeast species investigated, indicating that strain selection is of great importance for their enological application, and also that some non-Saccharomyces that have not been thoroughly explored, may deserve further consideration. This research represents the first stage for selecting non-Saccharomyces strains to be used as a starter along with Saccharomyces cerevisiae to enhance some particular characteristics of wines.