Saccharomyces cerevisiae AV12 Strain for Balanced Wine Fermentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The wine industry faces challenges in producing consistent, high-quality wines due to unpredictable fermentation efficiency and sensory profiles, with existing yeast strains often resulting in wines with undesirable characteristics such as low glycerol levels and unbalanced aromatic compounds, which can be exacerbated by genetic modifications that increase glycerol production at the expense of other quality factors.
Innovation Solution
A new Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, designated as AV12 and deposited under CECT 13073, is developed, which is tolerant to ethanol and sulfur dioxide, produces higher levels of glycerol and 2,3-butanediol, and enhances the production of aromatic compounds like volatile thiols, esters, and terpenes, resulting in full-bodied, fruity, and persistent wines without requiring additional costs or process changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If genetic modifications are made to increase glycerol production, then glycerol concentration is improved, but other quality factors such as aromatic compounds and fermentation efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and characterizing a specific yeast strain (AV12) with inherent metabolic parameters that naturally produce high glycerol levels (greater than 7 g/L) while simultaneously maintaining balanced aromatic compound production. This includes the strain's specific enzyme activities and metabolic pathway characteristics that achieve the desired parameter balance without genetic modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a readily available, non-genetically modified yeast strain that can be obtained through standard cultural collections, avoiding the need for expensive and time-consuming genetic engineering processes. The strain is used in its natural form with optimized fermentation conditions to achieve the desired product qualities.
2Manufacturing precision
If spontaneous fermentation is used, then natural aromatic profile is improved, but fermentation efficiency and wine quality consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a selected yeast strain that naturally possesses the metabolic capabilities to produce desirable aromatic compounds and maintain consistent fermentation performance. The strain self-regulates its metabolic pathways to achieve both high aromatic quality and reliable fermentation efficiency without requiring external intervention or complex process controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the key parameter from using indigenous spontaneous yeast flora to using a specifically selected and characterized yeast strain (AV12) with known metabolic parameters. This strain has been identified to produce greater than 7 g/L glycerol and maintain balanced aromatic compound production, providing both consistency and quality.
3Productivity
If traditional yeast selection criteria are applied, then fermentation efficiency is improved, but sensory impact and aroma complexity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent expands the selection parameters beyond traditional fermentation efficiency metrics to include sensory impact parameters. The selected yeast strain AV12 is characterized by multiple parameters including glycerol production (>7 g/L), aromatic compound production (volatile thiols, esters, terpenes), and fermentation performance, achieving a balanced optimization of all these parameters simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite metabolic profile in the selected yeast strain that combines multiple desirable traits: high glycerol production, balanced aromatic compound synthesis, and efficient fermentation kinetics. This composite characteristic set in strain AV12 achieves both productivity and sensory quality without compromise.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The AV12 strain consistently produces wines with intense fruity aromas, higher glycerol concentrations, and improved sensory attributes, such as warmth and smoothness, while maintaining controlled fermentation and avoiding malodors, thus meeting consumer preferences and enhancing wine quality.
Implementation Method 1
Wine is the result of an alcoholic fermentation, a microbial process which is performed by yeasts that convert the must into wine
Implementation Method 2
Glycerol is a major by-product of the glucose conversion during alcoholic fermentation, carried out by yeast
Implementation Method 3
The volatiles metabolites generated during sugars fermentation by S. cerevisiae yeasts are mostly esters, higher alcohols, volatile fatty acids, carbonaceous compounds, and volatile sulfur compound
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention regards a new Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain characterized by its deposition on 27th March 2012 in the "Colección Española de Cultivos Tipo" (CECT) in Valencia - Depositary of the Budapest Treaty - under number CECT 13073. The strain can be used in food production by fermentation (including beverages), preferably obtained by musts fermentations such as wine, beer or cider. It is a further object of this invention the transformation of the strain described above, by metabolic engineering, for example, increase tolerance to ethanol by increasing the number of copies of the genes ethanol tolerant RCN1 and RSA3 or through evolutionary engineering, for example, the adaptation process of the yeast strain to increasing ethanol concentrations. Another object of this invention is the vinification process using the strain described above.