COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE GAMMA-BUTYROLACTONE AND PANTOLACTONE CONTENTS IN CELLS AND MUSTS DURING VINIFICATION BY 3 SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAERACES

Changes in the gamma-butyrolactone and pantolactone contents in yeast cells and musts during fermentation and subsequent ''flor'' veil forma tion of Sherry wines were studied. Saccharomyces cerevisiae race cerev isiae, S. cerevisiae race bayanus and S. cerevisiae race capensis were used. During the alcoholic fermentation (first 31 days), gamma-butyro lactone contents in musts and yeast cells were similar for the three y east races tested. In this period, pantolactone was excreted to the mu st by Bayanus and capensis races, and it was not detected in cerevisia e race cells. During ''flor'' veil formation (31 to 134 days), bayanus and capensis races yield higher gamma-butyrolactone and pantolactone contents than cerevisiae race in the wines. In the final wines, pantol actone contents were always lower than those of gamma-butyrolactone.