The use of antibiotics is not permitted in Switzerland; moreover, no other medication exists to combat European foul brood. Hives with symptoms must therefore be destroyed in order to limit the outbreak, and the contaminated material must be sanitised. Since prevention is the best cure, early detection is desirable. Numerous studies have been undertaken and documents have been created at the Swiss Bee Research Centre and elsewhere to draw the attention of beekeepers to these problems and inform them about the causes and the control measures to be implemented.
Interest in Metschnikowia (M.) pulcherrima is growing in the world of winemaking. M. pulcherrima is used both to protect musts from microbial spoilage and to modulate the aromatic profile of wines. Here, we describe the isolation, characterization, and use of an autochthonous strain of M. pulcherrima in the vinification of Chasselas musts from the 2022 vintage. M. pulcherrima was used in co-fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae at both laboratory and experimental cellar scales. Our results showed that M. pulcherrima does not ferment sugars but has high metabolic activity, as detected by flow cytometry. Furthermore, sensory analysis showed that M. pulcherrima contributed slightly to the aromatic profile when compared to the control vinifications. The overall results suggest that our bioprospecting strategy can guide the selection of microorganisms that can be effectively used in the winemaking process.
