Sulfur dioxide (SO2) inhibits microbial growth in wine through multiple mechanisms, primarily targeting essential enzyme systems and disrupting cell membrane function. The antimicrobial activity of SO2 depends on its form in solution. When SO2 is added to wine, it exists in equilibrium between molecular SO2 (SO2), bisulfite ions (HSO3-), and sulfite ions (SO32-). Molecular SO2 is the most microbicidally active form because it can easily diffuse across cell membranes. The proportion of molecular SO2 is determined by the wine's pH; lower pH levels result in a....
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