Marielle BOUIX*, Claire BUSSON*, Monique CHARPENTIER**, J.Y. LEVEAU* et B. DUTEURTRE**
*Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Industries Agricoles et Alimentaires,
1 avenue des Olympiades, 91305 Massy (France)
**Société MOET & CHANDON, B.P. 140, 51133 Epernay Cedex (France)
Abstract : This study presents a rapid and specific microscopic technique for detecting and identifying populations of lactic acid bacteria in musts, wines, and inoculum starter cultures. Throughuorescent antibodies, his procedure can berformed in less than two hours, and it is effective with Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Lactobacillus concentrations as small as 102 cells/ml. Implementation of thtechnique will assist wenemakerss in controlling malolactic fermentations and in preventinglactic acid bacterial spoilage.
Key words : immunofluorescence, lactic acid bacteria, detection, wine, must.