LAUSR

BACKGROUND Different red winemaking were carried out to evaluate the effect of the prefermentative addition of chitosan as alternative to the use of SO2 on secondary products of alcoholic fermentation, yeast-available nitrogen (YAN), biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate of the final wines. RESULTS Wines elaborated with chitosan had greater total acidity, and higher contents of tartaric and succinic acids than those elaborated only with SO2 . The use of chitosan in winemaking gave rise wines with higher glycerol and diacetyl content without increasing the concentration of ethanol, acetic acid, acetaldehyde nor butanediol. The YAN was lower in wines elaborated with chitosan, which can mean an advantage for the microbial stability of the wines. Moreover, the use of chitosan at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation did not increase the concentration of biogenic amines and the formation of ethyl carbamate in SO2 free red wines CONCLUSION: The total or partial replacement of SO2 by chitosan at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation give rise to quality red wines, without negatively affecting their nitrogen fraction or very important secondary fermentation products, such as acetic acid or acetaldehyde. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.