Gabriele Alfano

Biotechnology applied to cultural heritage: biorestoration of frescoes using viable bacterial cells and enzymes

Aims:  To set up and employ, for the biorestoration of cultural heritage (altered frescoes), an advanced and innovative biotechnology method based on the sequential use of whole viable bacterial cells and specific enzymes.

Controlling grape must fermentation in early winemaking phases: the role of electrochemical treatment

Aims: To contribute to an understanding of the phenomena related to the effect of low electric current (LEC) in grape must fermentation during laboratory and pilot plant scale winemaking, with selected co‐culture yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 404 and Hanseniaspora guilliermodii strain 465).

Inactivation of wine spoilage yeasts Dekkera bruxellensis using low electric current treatment (LEC)

Aims:  The objective of this study was to investigate the inactivation of a selected yeast Dekkera bruxellensis strain 4481 in red wine by application of low electric current treatment (LEC).

Scaling-up in industrial winemaking using low electric current as an alternative to sulfur dioxide addition.

Aims:  To better understand the outcome of employing low electric current (LEC) technology as a new preservation and alternative in wine technology, and to contribute to its development. It is used in industrial‐scale winemaking with commercial yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) during the grape must fermentation.

Inactivation of Dekkera bruxellensis yeasts in wine storage in brand new oak barrels using low electric current technology

Dekkera bruxellensis is one of the species of yeast, which is most damaging to wine quality, and the tools available to control its growth are limited. In previous studies, non-Saccharomyces yeasts and Dekkera bruxellensis have been significantly restricted during wine-making processes using an innovative approach based on low electric current treatment (LEC). In the present study, LEC techniques were assessed for their capacity to inhibit wine spoilage by D. bruxellensis and to prevent formation of undesirable flavours during storage in oak barrels. Although the effect of SO2 treatment on D. bruxellensis viability and ATP content was more immediate, from the 30th day onward no significant variations between LEC and SO2 treatments were observed. At the end of the trial, LEC treatment had had a comparable effect to that of SO2 addition. Acetic acid content was significantly lower after LEC and SO2 treatments than in untreated wines and volatile phenols were also found to be significantly lower in the LEC treated wine. Moreover, the results from the panel test clearly indicate that no significant differences were found between the LEC and the SO2 treated wines. These results clearly indicate that LEC technology could represent a viable tool to limit yeast spoilage caused by D. bruxellensis. The present work represents, to our knowledge, the first attempt to control D. bruxellensis during red wine storage in oak barrels using LEC. The potential industrial applications of LEC technology include the real future possibility of producing a new, marketable range of healthier wines to satisfy the requirements of modern wine consumers.