Optimised loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for reliable detection and quantification of lactic acid bacteria in red and white wines and musts

This study presents an improved loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) procedure for the quick, inexpensive, and precise identification and quantification of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in white and red wines and in grape musts. Custom primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene were developed to enhance specificity. Key advancements include a mobile phone-based semi-quantification approach using hydroxy naphthol blue (HNB), endpoint quantification using a microplate reader, and a real-time quantitative LAMP (qLAMP) assay using EvaGreen®. Moreover, PMA-qLAMP was optimised to differentiate viable from non-viable bacterial cells. A major advantage arises from the fact that all red and white wine and must samples examined exhibited consistent behaviours. The LAMP improvements described provide wineries with accessible tools for microbial quality control by themselves, offering a practical alternative to traditional methods requiring sophisticated instrumentation.