Assessments of Indoor Fungi in Selected Wineries of Oltrepo Pavese (Northern Italy) and Sottoceneri (Switzerland)

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate the fungal populations of some environments dedicated to the fermentation, storage, and bottling of wine. Air samples of six wineries, three family-run and three industrial, located in Oltrepo Pavese (northern Italy) and Sottoceneri (Switzerland), were collected on a monthly basis for nine months. In addition to total fungal counts, the fungal taxa of air, walls, and barrel samples were determined. The indoor air fungal contamination was, in general, greater than that of outdoor samples, and fungal count fluctuations depended upon type of monitored environment. The highest fungal counts were observed in the bottling areas of industrial producers and the fermentation areas of family-run wineries. A total of 43 taxa, representing 19 genera and 36 species, were isolated from the indoor environments. Some potential wine contaminant species (Aspergillus niger, A. ochraceus, A. terreus, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. citreonigrum, P. crustosum, and P. viridicatum) and some potential allergenic species for winery workers (principally Cladosporium cladosporioides, Alternaria alternata, and A. niger) were detected. The information obtained from quantitative and qualitative analyses of fungi can be a useful tool for controlling indoor air quality. The constant presence of some fungal taxa may be hazardous to human health and may potentially contaminate wines.