Developing culture independent analysis techniques & skills to analyse wild yeast fermentation in red & white wines

Abstract

This travel was initiated with an outcome of travel grant GWT1116 after contact with Professor David Mills (UC Davis) in 2012. The purpose of this travel to UC Davis was to learn new techniques in microbial population analysis in wine through the application of next-generation sequencing. The knowledge gained in the preparation of samples for next-generation sequencing and the data analysis of the results will be used to analyse Australian fermentation samples.

Summary

The use of next-generation sequencing technologies has the power to unravel the complex interactions and species present in wild wine fermentations. At UC Davis the Mills laboratory has been using next-generation sequencing techniques for a number of years to perform community analysis on various types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented foods (wine, beer, yogurt etc.). They are considered some of the world best practitioners the genetic analysis of fermented foods, and such was a key opportunity to learn from this group.