Selected Schizosaccharomyces pombe Strains Have Characteristics That Are Beneficial for Winemaking

At present, wine is generally produced using Saccharomyces yeast followed by Oenococus bacteria to complete malolactic fermentation. This method has some unsolved problems, such as the management of highly acidic musts and the production of potentially toxic products including biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate. Here we explore the potential of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to solve these problems. We characterise an extensive worldwide collection of S. pombe strains according to classic biochemical parameters of oenological interest. We identify three genetically different S. pombe strains that appear suitable for winemaking. These strains compare favourably to standard Saccharomyces cerevisiae winemaking strains, in that they perform effective malic acid deacidification and significantly reduce levels of biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate precursors without the need for any secondary bacterial malolactic fermentation. These findings indicate that the use of certain S. pombe strains could be advantageous for winemaking in regions where malic acid is problematic, and these strains also show superior performance with respect to food safety

Planning the flows of residual biomass produced by wineries for their valorisation in the framework of a circular bioeconomy.

Circular economy aims to create a system that allows an optimal reuse of products and materials. In this context, the contribution provided by the valorisation of residual biomass is fundamental for the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into new added-value products. Indeed, according to an appropriate planning hierarchy, agricultural and agro-food co-products, by-products and wastes should be primarily employed to re-balance soil fertility, then valorised as new secondary raw materials used in the same agricultural sector or in different industrial chains (e.g., cosmetics, nutraceuticals, etc.). Only at the end of this process, they could be finally conveyed to energy production through co-generation. In this paper, the different residues generated by the wine production chain have been considered with reference to the Basilicata region (Southern Italy). These biomasses have been quantitatively evaluated and qualitatively classified, in order to find the most rational and convenient solution for their valorisation from a technical, economic and environmental point of view. From the spatial analysis elaborated by implementing a Geographic Information System, some thematic maps have been obtained. These maps have allowed to highlight the areas with the highest concentration of residues. In this way, possible strategies for their management and valorisation may be formulated, even with the support of an Internet of Things network system, aimed to allow a constant monitoring of their life cycle