An interesting research report concerning the yeast that can be found on the grape skins was published recently. Italian and French researchers believe they have discovered how this yeast on the grape skin has gotten there. Their results show that wasps are harbouring yeast in their digestive system, giving them to his offspring and spreading it in the vineyard.
Researchers already knew that there is hardly any yeast at all on unripe grapes and that it is likely that the yeast get there because of an animal. But they did not know which animal. But now they think they have evidence that the wasp plays a big role. They have dissected wasps trapped in Italian vineyards at different times during the growing season and found 17 different strains of saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Maybe it’s time to stop complaining about the wasps buzzing around you when you eat something sweet? It the above is true, we can surely forgive the wasps anything. Read more on La Vigne.
