More than 44% of American adults consume wine on a weekly basis—did you know that biotechnology is actually involved in the process of winemaking? Fermentation, one of the oldest biotechnological processes, includes the production of wine through grapes.
The process of wine-making begins by collecting and crushing grapes. They are then de-stemmed, by a de-strimmer (a machine that removes the stems of the grapes).
This is where the processes of making red and white wine differ. For white wine, white grapes are pressed, making sure just the skins are left behind. This squeezed juice is then placed in tanks where sediment settles at the bottom. Later, undergoes filtration and is put into a new tank. On the other hand, during the red wine-making process, grapes are lightly crushed with their skins still intact.
As we have now learned, alcoholic fermentation takes place. This type of fermentation is the conversion of grape sugars to ethanol, which is catalyzed by yeast. Yeast is a single-celled microorganism that is a part of the fungus family and is commonly added to wine for fermentation.
Another commonly used microorganism during the wine-making process is oenococcus oeni. This microorganism aids with the process of malolactic fermentation, where lactic acid bacteria grows in the wine. This process allows for fermentation which aids in improving the quality of the wine.
All in all, fermentation is a crucial step of winemaking and a common application of biotechnology.
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