Determination of the essential nutrient requirements of wine-related bacteria from the genera Oenococcus and Lactobacillus.

Wine lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are responsible for the malolactic fermentation (MLF) in wine production. Wine LAB have fastidious nutrient requirements but their auxotrophies remain little studied. The ability of specific wine nutrients to meet the nutritional requirements of wine LAB, and thus support MLF, remains unclear.

Arginine and citrulline do not stimulate growth of two Oenococcus oeni strains in wine.

Arginine metabolism by wine lactic acid bacteria (LAB) may lead to wine quality degradation. While arginine is essential for growth of the wine relevant LAB Oenococcus oeni, it remains unclear whether it also stimulates its growth. This study evaluated the effect of arginine and citrulline, the partially metabolized intermediate of the arginine deiminase pathway, on the growth of two commercial O.