Malolactic fermentations (MLF) of wines inoculated with selected lactic acid bacteria strains of the species Oenococcus oeni and Lactobacillus plantarum were studied and compared with spontaneous MLF. Bacterial populations were monitored along the whole process of MLF and bacteria identifications were carried out at species and strain level. Macrorestriction analysis with SfiI endonuclease and subsequent PFGE was carried out in order to identify O. oeni individual strains. L. plantarum active

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... ophila did not survive competing with the indigenous microbiota in a wine with 15.3 % (vol/vol) alcohol, whereas the selected O. oeni strains carried out wine MLF. The highest production of histamine took place during MLF in those wines that underwent spontaneous MLF with a mixed population of indigenous strains. The lowest levels of histamine were obtained with the selected commercial O. oeni strain that succeeded 100 % over the indigenous microbiota. Results indicate that development of MLF leaded by selected O. oeni active lyophila provides negligible histamine levels in red wines of quality that can be submitted to subsequent ageing in wood. K e y w o r d s : Lactobacillus plantarum, Oenococcus oeni, malolactic fermentation, wine, PFGE.