Functional Technologies says commercial wine industry interested in company’s proprietary yeasts

Functional Technologies Corp said commercial wineries are showing increasing interest in the use of the company's proprietary yeast that prevents the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in fermentation.

It introduced its Phyterra Yeast brand, and its H2S preventative yeast technology, at the most recent symposium of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture. During this introductory event more than 60 commercial wineries from the US contacted Phyterra regarding the commercial availability of the H2S yeasts for the upcoming winemaking season, it said in a statement.

Additional commercial interest was generated at the subsequent Oregon Wine Industry Symposium where Dr Linda Bisson, wine yeast expert at the University of California at Davis and the inventor of H2S prevention technology, was presenting the technology.

Expressions of interest in this H2S yeast solution have also been received from alcoholic beverage manufacturers other than from the table wine sector, FTC claims.

H2S is a well recognized, widespread and consistent problem in wine production. It occurs unpredictably as a distinctly unpleasant odor resembling rotten eggs - a quality defect that can render a wine product unsaleable if not treated, the company said.

Current methods of resolution used by the wine industry are largely remedial in nature, implemented once a wine product has already been tainted. Such remediation processes may involve additional production steps that can negatively affect quality and costs.

"The unique benefit to winemakers from our Phyterra yeasts is that, by using our product during the fermentation to tackle the H2S problem, it is a preventative strategy - preventing H2S from occurring in the first place rather than attempting to remove it afterward,” the company added.