Microbiological Quality
Control in Wine

Innovative solutions for rapid and reliable control of the
microbiological status at various stages of wine production.

 

The key to wine quality and brand protection

Maintaining the highest standards of microbiological quality control in wine is crucial for any winery that wants to produce high-quality products. From fermentation to bottling, spoilage organisms such as Brettanomyces and other microbes can negatively affect the taste, aroma and stability of the wine. Using the latest microbiological testing technologies, you can detect contamination at an early stage and protect your brand's reputation.

Why is microbiological quality control so important?

The winemaking process is delicate as yeasts and bacteria play a key role in fermentation. However, undesirable microorganisms such as spoilage yeasts and bacteria can spoil a batch of wine if they are not properly monitored.

With the test kits from vermicon AG and Sysmex Partec GmbH, microbiological quality control is ensured at all stages of the manufacturing process in order to master the following microbial challenges:

Detect wine spoilage at an early stage

Detect contamination by Brettanomyces and other microorganisms before they cause irreparable damage to the wine quality.

Maintain wine quality

Prevent off-flavors and unpleasant aromas that can be caused by microbial spoilage.

Maintain wine stability

Ensure the microbiological stability of your wine to prevent taste-altering and product-damaging microorganisms.

Optimize fermentation

Monitor yeast activity to ensure consistent and controlled fermentation.

One verification system for all production stages

The advanced microbiological test kits based on flow cytometry from vermicon AG and Sysmex Partec GmbH enable fast and reliable quality control at all stages of wine and cider production.

During alcoholic fermentation, the process is monitored with the Flow VIT® Saccharomyces test kit, which specifically detects yeasts of the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae and ensures that fermentation proceeds optimally.

In maturation and before bottling, the CyFlow™ BrettCount and Flow VIT® Dekkera anomala test kits detect spoilage yeasts to prevent off-flavors and ensure microbiological stability. These test kits are also used during storage in tanks or barrels to guarantee consistent quality until bottling.

Wine production process

Flow VIT® technology in comparison

The test kits CyFlow™ BrettCount and Flow VIT® Dekkera anomala are based on our Flow VIT® technology, which combines the specificity and speed of the VIT® gene probe technology with the reliable and automated analysis of a flow cytometer. Wine-damaging microorganisms can thus be detected faster and more precisely than with traditional, culture-based methods. Even viable but non-culturable yeasts (VBNC) can be specifically identified and quantified.

 

The advantages

  • Speed: Results within 3 hours compared to 5-7 days for conventional plate tests.

  • Accuracy: Captures only living, viable cells and without false positive results, providing more reliable data.

  • Cost efficiency: Early detection of spoilage organisms can prevent expensive product recalls.

  • Ease of use: Our test kits are designed for routine analysis and offer automation options for large sample volumes.

This might also be of interest to you:

Webinar: Detection of Brettanomyces

Rapid, precise, and automated detection of Brettanomyces bruxellensis at all stages of wine production. Learn how you can protect your wines from unwanted aromas and wine faults.

CyFlow™ BrettCount

Test kit for the rapid and automated analysis of Brettanomyces bruxellensis (Dekkera bruxellensis) in wine production samples. Identification and quantification of vital Brettanomyces bruxellensis cells is available in a few minutes.

Flow VIT® Dekkera anomala

Test kit for the rapid and automated quantification of Dekkera anomala (Brettanomyces anomalus) in cider and wine production samples. The evaluation by flow cytometry is fully automated.