Comparative Analysis of Genetically Modified Yeasts in Winemaking

Abstract

These days there are many dilemmas about perspectivity of GMO application. Not only economics, legislation and public opinion, but also technological properties of each GMO are very important and should be analysed and evaluated. SWOT analysis, analysis of attractivity and competitive ability and survey of Slovenian oenologist opinions were conducted about current technology regarding GMOs in winemaking. We found that the most important and interesting GMOs, in the opinion of oenologists, are yeast with enhanced production of glycerol and malolactic yeast, the last already approved as GRAS by the United States FDA. The market attractivity and competitive ability analysis in Slovenian circumstances showed us that the most important GMOs in the future will be yeasts capable of releasing terpenoids, but also very important are malolactic yeasts and yeasts producing higher concentration of glycerol and lower concentration of acetic acid.