MICROBIAL-POPULATIONS AND MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION OF APPLE CIDER USING TRADITIONAL AND MODIFIED METHODS

The evolution of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria was examined during t wo methods of cider making: the traditional employed unwashed apples o f different varieties and the modified used a sole washed acidic apple variety with temperature control during the cider making process. The alcoholic fermentation was carried out mainly by Kloeckera apiculata and Sacharomyces cerevisiae species, and their distributions were simi lar in the two methods. In the traditional, the malolactic fermentatio n proceeded at the same time as alcoholic fermentation and the ''piqur e lactique'' occurred. In the modified method, no malolactic fermentat ion took place. In all musts, a fundamentally heterofermentative lacti c flora was found, with Lactobacillus species most abundant in the tra ditional process.