hydrolysis, a chemical reaction with, or involving, water and often catalysed by the hydrogen ions of acids. Hydrolysis is the reaction whereby an ester is split into its acid and alcohol components and glycosides into their sugar and aglycone parts. The reaction is of great importance to the ageing of wine when slow hydrolysis affects the flavour precursors releasing aroma-active aglycones from their flavourless glycosides.
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