Abstract:Insufficient aroma and unremarkable typicality of wolfberry wine limit the development of the wolfberry wine industry. Twenty-six strains of non-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (non-S.cerevisiae) were isolated from Lycium barbarum 'Ningqi No. 5' fruit and orchard soil. Six non-S. cerevisiae strains with excellent β-glucosidase (β-G) production ability were screened. Their physiological characteristics were determined using growth curve analysis and tolerance tests to ethanol and osmotic pressure. The co-fermentation of Wickerhamomyces anomalus (W. anomalus) Y11 with S. cerevisiae M-23-7-14 was optimized for wolfberry wine production, with quality assessed based on conventional physicochemical indices, flavor compounds, and sensory evaluation. Results indicated that the optimal fermentation performance was achieved when S. cerevisiae M-23-7-14 and W. anomalus Y11 were inoculated at an inoculum amount of 10∶1, with W. anomalus Y11 inoculated first, followed by S. cerevisiae M-23-7-14 after a 12 h interval. In comparison to single-strain fermentation, the total mass concentration of flavor compounds increased by 21.7% during the mixed-strain fermentation, with a 85.8% increase in the concentration of esters. This study could provide a superior yeast for the wolfberry wine industry, optimize the fermentation process, and enhance the aroma quality of wolfberry wine, offering theoretical support for industrial production.
