"seb" > wrote in message
om...
> > John (and others that know how to use lysozyme) - It's my understanding
that
> > lysozyme works quickly and destroys the cell walls of malo-lactic
bacteria.
> > I make a couple of white wines that I want to avoid ML fermentation in.
I
> > also make red wines that I innoculate with ML culture so the cellar is
full
> > of the ML bacteria floating around with everything else. If you get the
> > white wines into the bottle, after treatment with lysozyme, is there any
> > need to sterile filter? I guess the question is does lysozyme destroy
ML
> > bacteria or only stun them.
> >
> > Bill Frazier
> > Olathe, Kansas
>
>
> From what I understand, lysozyme can do both depending on the ppm you
> use and when you use them. Below 250ppm you will only stun them and
> between 250 and 500ppm you will destroy the bacteria. You can use the
> lysozyme after the primary and just before bottling. This is what i
> found on Lallemand web site concerning the use of this enzyme ;
>
> "At the end of alcohol fermentation to delay (or fully inhibit) the
> onset of malolactic fermentation
> Before bottling to avoid MLF in bottle "
>
> The next Quote comes from Winemakers magazine ;
>
> " Lysozyme is also used to delay or prevent malolactic fermentation,
> an important consideration for some white wines. It also aids the
> stability of wines that are bottled without filtration and could
> therefore be subject to bacterial action in the bottle."
> "Once primary fermentation is complete, malolactic activity can be
> blocked with an addition of 250-500 ppm of lysozyme. This dosage will
> also stop a malolactic fermentation in progress, resulting in a
> partial malolactic conversion. For wines that received a small
> lysozyme treatment at the crusher, inoculation with a malolactic
> starter should work normally after the alcoholic fermentation has run
> to completion."

That's all true, and you would probably be OK bottling with 250-500 ppm of
lysozyme. In fact, I use it routinely now even on wines that I'm fairly
sure are done with ML, just to be sure that they are stable. (It doesn't
seem to have any downside except price. Blind studies have shown very small
taste differences, but not in any objectionable direction.) The slight
worry is that there are some wild strains of malolactic spoilage bacteria
that are not very sensitive to lysozyme. Odds are you'd be OK and this is
just a theoretical concern. I usually choose to do ML because it's
(usually) not hard and it (usually) guarantees stability.

Regards,

John