hydrogen sulphide (h2s) is a by-product of alcoholic fermentation that has an off-odour like rotten eggs. the amount of h2s produced during winemaking is influenced by the yeast strain and must composition. the purpose of this work was to evaluate the ability of indigenous wine yeast to produce h2s, and select isolates low-sulphide producers. sulphite reductase activity was screened in 259 isolates from musts and wines in biggy agar medium. the results demonstrate that non-saccharomyces yeasts were higher h s-producers than those strains of saccharomyces used in this study. the relationship between h2s production and medium composition was evaluated in 25 isolates that displayed low h2s production on biggy agar. for that, 11 natural grape musts and a chemically defined grape juice medium with bismuth citrate as indicator were used. the results demonstrate that the must composition influenced significantly the ability of the yeast to produce h2s. the use of natural grape juice with bismuth citrate as indicator is an adequate medium to predict the potential of a determined yeast strain to produce h s in a specific must.
