Possible Use of Nisin in Winemaking. I. Action of Nisin Against Lactic Acid Bacteria and Wine Yeasts in Solid and Liquid Media

¹ Institut für Mikrobiologie und Weinforschung der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Postfach 3980, D-6500 Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany.

Lactic acid bacteria isolated from wine (83 strains of the genera Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, and Lactobacillus) were tested for their sensitivities to Nisin. When tested with the agar diffusion method or in liquid medium most strains of Leuconostoc and Pediococcus were inhibited by less than 10 units Nisin per milliliter. Strains of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum grew well in the presence of 400 units Nisin per well or 500 to 1000 units Nisin/mL. Leuconostoc oenos, the most important species for the malolactic fermentation, was found to be very sensitive to Nisin and was inhibited by 5 units Nisin/mL, but some cells survived and growth was observed after several weeks. The effect of Nisin was more pronounced at higher pH values that are more favorable to bacterial growth. Higher Nisin concentrations were required to inhibit the growth of an inoculum of 10⁵ than of 10² to 10³ cells/mL. None of the tested yeast strains (originally isolated from commercial active dried yeast) was affected by high concentrations of Nisin.

Key words: Nisin, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Lactobacillus

Submitted on March 21, 1989