Wine With or Without a Board?
The CyFlow™ BrettCount test kit enables fast and reliable quality control at all stages of wine production, from fermentation to the bottled product. The evaluation is performed fully automatically using flow cytometry. The vital Brettanomyces bruxellensis cells are identified and quantified in just a few minutes. This allows them to be detected quickly, reliably and with high specificity in order to avoid possible wine defects such as turbidity and unpleasant odors.
Product Specifications
| Detection of | Brettanomyces bruxellensis / Dekkera bruxellensis |
| Samples that can be analyzed include | Wine and all stages of wine production |
| The technology | Flow VIT® |
| Evaluation | by means of flow cytometer |
| Type of analysis | qualitative and quantitative detection |
| Additional services | automatic PDF report |
| Duration of the analysis | 3 minutes per sample |
| Scope of delivery | Analysis reagents Product manual |
| Package size | 50 analyses |
Partnership With Sysmex
The CyFlow™ BrettCount test kit was developed in close cooperation with Sysmex Partec GmbH, the pioneers of flow cytometry. Through this partnership, we create effective and cost-efficient solutions for industrial microbiology and raise microbiological quality control to a higher level.
CyFlow™ Cube 6 and CyFlow™ BrettCount are distributed by the responsible sales offices of Sysmex Corporation.
Comparison of Methods for Analyzing Brettanomyces / Dekkera
With CyFlow™ BrettCount, the yeast species Brettanomyces bruxellensis is detected faster and easier than with conventional, culture-based methods. Viable but non-culturable yeasts (VBNC) are also specifically identified and quantified. In contrast to other molecular biological methods, inhibitors in the sample material do not play a role in the analysis with CyFlow™ BrettCount. Thanks to the VIT® gene probe technology, only living microorganisms are detected. False-negative as well as false-positive results are avoided.
Why Do Brettanomyces Cause Wine Defects?
Brettanomyces bruxellensis ("Brett" for short), also known as Dekkera bruxellensis, is a yeast fungus that reduces the tannins present in wine to volatile phenols and forms undesirable compounds such as 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol. Red wines with a high tannin content or some natural white wines are often affected by turbidity and the wine defect for this reason.
The off-flavors released after contamination with yeast have an animal smell and are often compared in wine to the smell of stables, leather, tea or "wet fur" and "horse sweat". In low concentrations, however, the ethyl phenols released can be perceived as pleasant. Wine connoisseurs also describe these slight Brett tones (smoky, leathery, spicy) in red wines in the upper price segment as a sign of quality.
Where Does the Contamination Come From?
The Brettanomyces yeast species is alcohol-tolerant, but is not involved in the alcoholic fermentation of the wine. The Brett odor only develops during maturation in wooden barrels. Contamination of the wine production chain can already occur through the raw materials (grapes and must). Brettanomyces bruxellensis is also a spore-forming yeast. Used barrels, poor hygiene and low sulphur levels or the absence of filtration can promote contamination and clouding of the end product.
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