ABILITY OF WINE LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA TO METABOLIZE PHENOL CARBOXYLIC-ACIDS

Several strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from wine were tested for their abilities to metabolize ferulic and p-coumaric acids, Using UV spectrophotometry, manometric technique, and gas chromatography, it was shown that ferulic and p-coumaric acids were strongly decarboxylated by growing cultures of Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Pediococcus. Resting cell decarboxylation activity was only detected for bacteria grown with these substrates suggesting inducibility of this activity. For Leuconostoc oenos, decarboxylation activity was present only with permeabilized cells grown with phenol carboxylic acid. This could indicate the absence of transport system for these acids in Leuconostoc oenos. When decarboxylation was observed, volatile phenols (4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylphenol) were detected indicating the possibility of reduction of the side chain before or after decarboxylation.