Potential of phenolic compounds for controlling lactic acid bacteria growth in wine

Lactic acid bacteria are important in enology since they undergo the malolactic fermentation, a process which main effect is the reduction of wine acidity and is almost indispensable in red wine-making. However, if this process is not well controlled during the elaboration of wine, alterations in wine quality due to bacteria metabolic activity can happen. Polyphenols are wine natural components in must and wine that can potentially affect the growth of lactic acid bacteria and the malolactic fermentation. In this paper, after describing the main features of the malolactic fermentation in wine, we review the use of different chemical substances to control growth of lactic acid bacteria in enology. Special attention is given to phenolic compounds, being revised the recent studies about the effect of polyphenols on the growth and metabolism of lactic acid bacteria in wine in order to establish the extent to which these compounds are involved in malolactic fermentation during wine-making. Finally, the potential use of phenolic extracts as new antimicrobial agents during wine-making, as a total or partial alternative to traditional treatments mainly using sulphur dioxide (SO 2) is discussed.