Side activities of commercial enzyme preparations and their influence on the hydroxycinnamic acids, volatile compounds and nitrogenous components of white wine

Background and Aims Commercial enzyme preparations used in winemaking are mixtures of several enzymatic activities, such as pectinases, cellulases and hemicellulases. The aim of this work was to evaluate the side activities of commercial enzyme preparations and their collateral effects on white wine. Methods and Results The β-glucosidase, cinnamoyl esterase and protease activities of 15 enzyme preparations currently available in the market were screened. Must was treated with the enzyme preparations, and the collateral effects on white wine were evaluated. The application of cinnamoyl esterase-rich preparations induced an increase in hydroxycinnamic acids and 4-vinylguaiacol in the wine that reached a final concentration about twice that of the no enzyme control. Cinnamoyl esterase activity, above 50 U/g or mL of preparation on chlorogenic acid, leads to the risk of an increase of the volatile phenols during fermentation. Enzyme addition to the must influenced the aromatic composition of wine in terms of alcohol, volatile acids and esters. Enzyme treatment led to a decrease in protein concentration and a reduction of haze but was ineffective in resolving protein instability. Conclusions Enzyme preparations formulated for aroma release are more prone to induce collateral effects during winemaking. Significance of the Study Our study clearly highlights that enzyme treatment of must may significantly affect the volatile composition of wine. This result can assist the choice of the most suitable enzyme treatment to improve wine composition.