Predominance of indigenous non-Saccharomyces yeasts in the traditional fermentation of greengage wine and their significant contribution to the evolution of terpenes and ethyl esters

Abstract

Greengage wine is a popular drink in Southeast Asia. Salt maceration and sugar addition in traditional fermentation caused plasmolysis of greengage skin cell. In this case, the development of indigenous microbiota can use the nutrition of exosmosis of cell tissue fluid. The result of high-throughput sequencing technology indicated the non-Saccharomyces yeasts dominated the entire process of traditional fermentation. Key yeast genera, such as Gliocephalotrichum, Sordariales, Candida and Issatchenkia were identified, a dynamic non-Saccharomyces yeast community was spontaneously formed and highly correlated to the evolution of volatile compounds of greengage wine, such as monoterpenes, C13-norisoprenoids, ethyl esters and ethylphenols. Yeast glycosidases released nonvolatile aroma precursors into free form, which contributed to the aroma profile with strong flowery and fruity flavor in greengage wine. Moreover, a bacteria genus of Gordonia performed significant correlations to the development of characteristic volatiles at the beginning of primary fermentation.

Keywords: Greengage; Microbiota; Non-Saccharomyces yeast; Plasmolysis; Spontaneous fermentation; Volatile compounds.