Influence of phenolic compounds and tannins on wine-related microorganisms

Abstract

Polyphenols represent an important family of compounds found in grapes and wine. To date, more than 9000 flavonoids have been described and structurally elucidated in plant kingdom. Research on polyphenols mainly started in the early 1930s after the discovery of vitamin P and the "ascorbic acid cofactor” by Rusznyak and Szent-Györgyi (1936). Research on these compounds was intensified especially after the development of more sophisticated analytical methods. The general interest in polyphenols was also intensified after the publication of several epidemiological studies in the early 1990s, which suggested that the negative correlation between coronary diseases and a diet rich in saturated fats in France is mainly due to the relatively high consumption rate of red wine in this country. The polyphenols in red wine have been made responsible for this effect.