Metabolomics SA News

Collaboration between researchers and industry underpins the development and commercialisation of popular ‘Made in Australia’ innovative fermentation products for the wine and beverage industry. In this collaboration, AB Biotek worked closely with expert researchers at the AWRI, including NCRIS-supported researchers at Metabolomics Australia, from product conception to final product evaluation. AB Biotek invests in R&D to upscale and manufacture in Australia MaurivinTM Active Dry Yeast products for clients globally.

This industry collaboration built on prior research where wine-grape industry levy payers and the Australian Government had jointly funded yeast discovery and strain development projects at the AWRI, through their investment agency Wine Australia. As a pre-requisite prior to release to wineries, novel yeast strains that show desired traits for target products and markets are progressed to the stage in the development chain where AB Biotek (Mauri Yeast Australia) manufactures commercial quantities of the active dry yeast at its facility in Toowoomba, Queensland. The Metabolomics Australia facility supported commercialisation and performance testing during upscaling by establishing flavour and aroma profiles of wines made throughout the development phase using mass spectrometric analysis. In parallel, sensory analysis of the wines was conducted commercially through the AWRI. The combined data chemical and sensory data guided the development, upscaling and commercialisation activities conducted by Mauri Yeast Australia. These new yeast products are now being used by winemakers as tools for improving wine quality and creating novel and distinctive flavour profiles for product differentiation.

Reference
Varela et al. (2021) Volatile aroma composition and sensory profile of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced with novel Metschnikowia pulcherrima yeast starter cultures. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.

A new liquid state 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance instrument was commissioned in 2020/2021.

This platform provides high-throughput metabolite screening, structural elucidation, and accurate quantitation of metabolites in biological samples.

Food analysis is also possible with the Bruker Food Screener module which targets and accurately quantitates compounds simultaneously for wine, juice, or honey matrix types.

NMR services provided include:

• Food analysis and authenticity with Bruker Food Screener
• Absolute quantitation of known compounds
• Structure elucidation experiments, 1D and/or 2D for synthesised compounds
• Non-targeted differential analysis

For further information, please contact us at metabolomics@awri.com.au.

NCRIS-enabled Metabolomics Australia services and expertise

In 2020/2021, Metabolomics SA broadened its services and expertise for metabolomics research by adding advanced high resolution mass spectrometry and liquid state 400MHz NMR spectroscopy. Priority areas for research collaborations included environmental science, animal science, food and beverage production, biomedical science and the gut microbiome. Metabolomics SA supported commercialisation and performance testing for new fermentation solutions by establishing flavour and aroma profiles using mass spectrometric analysis.

An international collaboration with a visiting scientist from Korea Food Research Institute led to further insight into yeast interactions and nutritional components during fermentation, with work conducted using non-targeted metabolomics and high-resolution mass spectrometry. New partnerships were formed with the South Australian Genomics Centre and the University of South Australia’s Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility which will enhance ‘omics’ support for researchers and industry. The facility continued to provide hands-on training for Australian and international scientists, with topics including sample preparation techniques, instrument operations and bioinformatics.