Employing oxygen pulses to modulate Lachancea thermotolerans–Saccharomyces cerevisiae Chardonnay fermentations

Oxygen is sometimes deliberately introduced in winemaking at various stages to enhance yeast biomass formation and prevent stuck fermentation. However, there is limited information on how such interventions affect the dynamics of yeast populations. Our previous study in synthetic grape juice showed that oxygen supply enhances the persistence of Lachancea thermotolerans, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima. The three non-Saccharomyces yeasts showed differences in growth as a function of oxygen. The present study focused on evaluating the influence of short oxygen pulses on population dynamics and the aroma profile of Chardonnay wine inoculated with L. thermotolerans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results confirmed a positive effect of oxygen on the relative performance of L. thermotolerans. The mixed culture fermentation with L. thermotolerans with S. cerevisiae developed a distinct aroma profile when compared to monoculture S. cerevisiae. Specifically, a high concentration of esters, medium chain fatty acids and higher alcohols was detected in the mixed culture fermentation. The data also showed that the longer persistence of L. thermotolerans due to addition of oxygen pulses influenced the formation of major volatile compounds such as ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl caprylate, ethyl caprate, ethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate, ethyl phenylacetate, propanol, isobutanol, butanol, isoamyl alcohol, hexanol, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, iso-valeric acid, hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, and decanoic acid.