Incidence of indigenous microbial flora from utensils and surrounding air in traditional French cider making

Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts were numerated, isolated and identified from two ciders obtained from similar raw materials used under different conditions. One cider was produced in a cellar of a traditional producer while the second one was produced under laboratory conditions. In both ciders alcoholic fermentation was achieved mainly by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the traditional cider, among the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) the species Leuconostoc oenos was predominant and malolactic conversion was observed. By contrast no development of LAB occurred in the second cider and therefore malolactic conversion was not achieved.