"ed montforts" > wrote in message
> sorry, but you are some way off. It's NOT the pectic enzyme that causes the
> trouble. The pectin itself is. The pectic enzyme breaks down pectin, that is
> the source of methanol. So if you use pectic enzyme in juice that containes
> pectin, you can get rid of almost all methanolproduction, provided you toss

Actually, I think *that's* the wrong way round.

Methanol results from the hydrolysis of pectin by pectin
methylesterase enzymes (PME). It's the action of the PME which
produces the methanol. Since PME is one of the enzymes typically used
in most commercial pectic enzyme preparations, use of most pectic
enzymes will result in increased methanol production.

This increase, however, is usually low (at least in grape wines) and
most of the methanol resulting from it is reputed to be lost with CO2
during fermentation.

Ben

Improved Winemaking
http://members.tripod.com/~BRotter/