Contributions concerning the study of the antiseptic effect of sulfur dioxide on the yeasts present in two wines provided by Cotnari vineyard

Abstract

Sulfur dioxide is one of the most used antiseptics in vinification. Its action on the "infection" microorganisms found in wine cellars is demonstrated by numerous studies. The present study shows that the antiseptic potential of sulfur dioxide is highly dependent on the concentration of its free form. The high concentrations of free sulfur dioxide corroborated with the prolonged contact period lead to the killing of the yeast cells quickly and evenly, while at low concentrations its lethal effect is greatly diminished. At low concentrations the lethal effect of sulfur dioxide is highly dependent on the contact time of the yeast cells with the environment. In this case, their mortality rate is very uneven. This phenomenon is also explained by the losses that occur due to the volatilization of sulfur dioxide, of oxidation or on account of its binding to other compounds.