Staged Fermentation with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Consortium and Monascus purpureus for Sustainable Valorization of Persimmon into High-Quality Wine

Abstract

Persimmon waste, accounting for up to 30% of annual harvests, presents economic and environmental challenges due to limited processing options. This study introduces a staged fermentation process to transform persimmon into high-quality wine using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae consortium (EC/Aq/F33 = 4/4/7) followed by Monascus purpureus. The process decouples ethanol production and esterification to avoid nutrient competition: an 8-day yeast phase (21.11 °Brix, 0.29 g kg−1 yeast, 19.90 °C, pH 3.8) yields 12.12% (v/v) ethanol, followed by M. purpureus (1.56% inoculation, 22.6 °C, pH 4.0) on day 8 for 10 days, producing 3.56 g L−1 esters. This results in 32 volatile compounds (e.g., phenethyl acetate), achieving a sensory score of 90.9/100–43% higher in aromatic diversity than single-strain fermentation. By shortening fermentation time by 40% compared with traditional methods (>25 days) and enhancing flavor complexity, this scalable approach offers a sustainable solution for upcycling persimmon and other tannin-rich perishables, supporting eco-friendly food production.