The effect of four commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (D254, VIC, BV818, and RV100) on the volatile profile of wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) wine was investigated in this study. Alcohols and esters were the most two abundant groups of identified volatiles in wax apple wines. However, different S. cerevisiae strains possess various capacities in releasing/synthesizing volatiles with varied mRNA levels of genes involved in volatiles metabolism during wax apple wine fermentation. VIC, which yielded the highest total concentration of volatiles and largest number of volatiles with odor activity value (OAV) > 1, could be used as a starter culture to produce wax apple wine characterized with intense aroma. D254 and RV100, which produced the greatest variety of volatiles and scored the highest in global aroma, respectively, could be used to enhance the wine complexity. Four wax apple wines could be differentiated by their main volatile compounds.
Keywords: Fermentation; Fruit wine; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Volatile compound; Wax apple.