Tracciabilità con metodi molecolari dei batteri malolattici nei vini della Valpolicella.

The recent progress of molecular biology has led to the development of a number of novel techniques that allow to detect and monitor the main microbial groups implicated in fermentation processes, and give more precise information on the interactions between the microorganisms in fermented foods and beverages. Such studies can elucidate the contribution that specific dominant strains, which are either autochthonous or used as starter cultures, have towards the qualitative and typical traits of wines. In the present paper, the results of some of the AA. researches carried out on malolactic bacteria of Valpolicella wines by applying various molecular techniques (with different reproducibility, resolutions, and ease of use) are reported. In particular, diversity and dynamics of malolactic bacteria during the production of Amarone wine were evaluated by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-based methods, such as species-specific PCR, Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR) and PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), and electrophoretic techniques such as Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE).