L-(-)-malic acid production by Saccharomyces spp. during the alcoholic fermentation of wine (1)

In an attempt to increase the acidity of wine by biological means, malate-producing yeasts were selected from a collection of 282 strains isolated in different parts of Spain. Only 4% of these strains (all of which belonged to Saccharomyces cerevisiae) produced l-(-)-malic acid in the range of 0.5-1 g/L. This was formed between days 2 and 6 of alcoholic fermentation, reaching a maximum on days 3 and 4; the concentration remained stable from day 7. Malic acid production was favored by temperatures in the 18-25 degrees C range and by musts with a high pH and low concentrations of sugar, initial malic acid, and yeast-assimilable nitrogen. Oxaloacetic acid, a precursor of malic acid, had no influence on malate production. The precursors pyruvic and fumaric acid did, however, have a significant effect on the production of this acid in some strains. No direct relation between pyruvate and malate metabolism was observed.