Microbial and Commercial Enzymes Applied in the Beverage Production Process

Enzymes are highly effective biocatalysts used in various industrial processes, playing a key role in winemaking and in other fermented beverages. Many of the enzymes used in fermentation processes have their origin in fruits, in the indigenous microbiota of the fruit, and in the microorganisms present during beverage processing. Besides naturally occurring enzymes, commercial preparations that usually blend different activities are used (glucosidases, glucanases, pectinases, and proteases, among others). Over the years, remarkable progress has been made in enhancing enzyme performance under operating conditions. The winemaking industry has observed a significant improvement in production levels, stimulating the introduction of technological innovations that aim to enhance efficiency and wine quality. Enzymes have traditionally been used in the beverage industry; however, others have been introduced more recently, with numerous studies aimed at optimizing their performance under processing conditions, including the use of immobilized enzymes. Therefore, one major goal of the current review is to give a detailed overview of the endogenous enzyme potential of wine microorganisms, as well as of enzymes obtained from grapes or even commercial preparations, studied and already in use in the beverage industry, and to present the future trends in enzyme production and application.