@article{WANG2026, 
author = {Dingyi WANG and Kangjie LOU and Shuwen LIU and Hongyu ZHAO},
title = {Effects of Three-Strain Mixed Cultures on Fermentation and Aroma of Merlot Wine},
year = {2026},
journal = {Food Science},
volume = {47},
number = {5},
pages = {105-114},
keywords = {triple-strain co-fermentation, non-Saccharomyces yeast, Merlot wine, fermentation, aroma},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.7506/spkx1002-6630-20250922-174},
doi = {10.7506/spkx1002-6630-20250922-174},
abstract = {In order to enhance the malolactic fermentation efficiency and aroma quality of Merlot wine, this study introduced non-Saccharomyces yeasts (Hanseniaspora uvarum Hu2, Hanseniaspora osmophila Hos39, and Pichia kluyveri Pk6) to construct a triple-strain starter culture consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, non-Saccharomyces yeast, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The results showed that the co-fermentation strategy significantly accelerated the MLF process and shortened the fermentation cycle by 40%. The introduction of Hanseniaspora significantly increased the content of acetate esters, particularly ethyl acetate (31.8% to 40%). Heatmap analysis further indicated that the contribution of Hanseniaspora to wine aroma exhibited genus commonality. Wine fermented with P. kluyveri had the highest content of 2-phenylethyl acetate, which was 9 times that of the control group. Furthermore, sensory analysis revealed that non-Saccharomyces yeast co-fermentation reduced the green and vegetal notes of the wine. Specifically, H. osmophila Hos39 enhanced the pome fruit-like aroma, while P. kluyveri Pk6 significantly intensified the floral aroma. This study confirms that triple-strain co-fermentation effectively increases the rate of malolactic fermentation and improves wine aroma, which is of theoretical significance for the development of mixed-strain fermentation technologies.}
}