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Binding of acetaldehyde with sulphur dioxide
- Acetaldehyde is one of the strongest binding compounds of SO2 found in wine or fermenting must.
- At the onset of fermentation, the yeast involved produce acetaldehyde as an intermediate product, in the conversion of grape sugars (and introduced sugars) to alcohol.
Practically all free sulphur dioxide (FSO2) present, from earlier additions, will be bound to yeast produced acetaldehyde.
No FSO2 of any significance will be present after the completion of fermentation.
Virtually all SO2 will be present as bound SO2 (BSO2)