terclim by ICS banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 SENSORY DEFINITION OF A TECHNICAL UNAVOIDABLE TRANSFER OF AROMA COMPOUNDS VIA SEALING IN A BOTTLING LINE IN ORDER TO PREVENT PROSECUTION DUE TO FRAUDULENT AROMATIZATION OF A SUBSEQUENTLY FILLED WINE

SENSORY DEFINITION OF A TECHNICAL UNAVOIDABLE TRANSFER OF AROMA COMPOUNDS VIA SEALING IN A BOTTLING LINE IN ORDER TO PREVENT PROSECUTION DUE TO FRAUDULENT AROMATIZATION OF A SUBSEQUENTLY FILLED WINE

Abstract

In 2020, 12% of all bottled German wines were aromatized, which may increase further due to rising popularity of dealcoholized wines. As sealing polymers of a bottling line absorb aroma compounds and may release them into regular wines in the next filling¹, this unintentional carry-over bears the risk to violate the legal ban of any aromatization of regular wine. However, following EU legislation, German food control authorities accept a technical unavoidable transfer of aroma compounds, if this is of no sensory significance. In order to prevent any legal consequences of aroma migration, we propose how to define the requested absence of sensory significance and how to improve cleaning in respect to aroma compounds.

Using a novel direct analysis of sealing polymers revealed that cleaning of the filler removed only 11–62% of seven studied aroma compounds which are commonly used to aromatize wines, including γ-decalactone, α-ionone or eugenol¹. High temperature of 85 °C revealed the largest cleaning effect, while chemical additives such as caustic soda or ozone exhibited only minor efficacy². Complete removal of absorbed aroma compounds from sealing was not achieved, making a later release into subsequently bottled wines still possible.

Odor detection thresholds were determined separately in water, model wine and white wine for the monitored aroma compounds. Applying the odor activity concept, we could show that migration of aroma compounds into the subsequently bottled wines were of no sensory relevance³.

Studying aroma migration in two industry scale bottling lines we could confirm the uptake of marker compounds into sealing polymers during bottling mulled or aromatized wines. Despite ineffective cleaning, aroma compounds migrating back into the subsequently bottled non-aromatized regular wines were way below their sensory thresholds. Sensory evaluation by a 2-out-of-5-test of the wine before and after bottling indeed revealed no significant difference.

In conclusion, despite migration of aroma compounds into sealing of a bottling line, cleaning and dilution effects in the subsequently filled wine prevented any aroma carry-over of sensory relevance. Thus, the analytical determination of “illegal” added aroma traces in a regular wine due to this technically unavoidable transfer, would not lead to legal prosecution. This legal evaluation could be a show case, how to apply the de-minimis concept to assess traces of pesticides or other contaminants into wine.

 

1. Gottmann, J., Vestner, J., Müller, D., Schuster, J., & Fischer, U. (2021). Uptake and Release of Aroma Compounds by an Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber Sealing Polymer: Investigating Aroma Carryover in a Model Wine System. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 69(38), 11382-11394.
2. Gottmann, J., Müller, D., Becker, A,-M., Vestner, J., Schuster, J., & Fischer, U. (2022), Improved sealing polymers and cleaning procedures to mitigate aroma carryover during bottling of aromatised and regular wine on the same filling line. OenoOne, 56(4), 41-54
3. Gottmann, J., Vestner, J. & Fischer, U. (2022). Sensory relevance of seven aroma compounds involved in unintended but potentially fraudulent aromatization of wine due to aroma carry over. Food Chem, 402, 1341600.

DOI:

Publication date: February 9, 2024

Issue: OENO Macrowine 2023

Type: Poster

Authors

Jörg Gottmann ¹, Jochen Vestner ¹

1. Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum (DLR) Rheinpfalz, Institute for Viticulture and Oenology

Contact the author*

Keywords

aroma migration, matrix dependent odor detection threshold, odor activity value, aroma-tized wines

Tags

IVES Conference Series | oeno macrowine 2023 | oeno-macrowine

Citation

Related articles…

Managing changes in taste: lessons from champagne in britain 1800-1914

This paper focuses on how taste in wine (and other foods) changes and the implications of this process for producers and merchants. It draws primarily on the changing taste of and taste for champagne in Britain in the 19th century. Between 1850 and 1880 champagne went from a dosage level of around 20% (20 grams sugar / litre) to 0%. Champagne became the ‘dinner wine of the elite – drunk with roast meat and savoury dishes. Contemporaries accepted that while most people could distinguish the taste of good champagne from that of bad, very few could distinguish very good from good.

Influence of agrophotovoltaic on vine and must in a cool climate

The current energy crisis means that interest in agrophotovoltaics has increased significantly. The reason behind this is that the system aims to combine agricultural production with energy production. During the three-year period from 2020 to 2022, the effects of photovoltaic panels on the vine, the yield and the quality of the must were studied in Walenstadt in northern Switzerland, an area with a cool, humid climate. 65 Pinot noir vines were planted in the 160m2 study area. Because of the large edge effects, only 3 repetitions with 4 vines each could be created. A significantly lower leaf infestation by Plasmopara viticola was observed among the panels in each of the three years.

2-YEARS STUDY ON COMPARISON BETWEEN THE VOLATILE CHEMICAL PROFILE OF TWO DIFFERENT BLENDS FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF “VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE”

Valpolicella is a famous wine producing region in the province of Verona owing its fame above all to the production of two Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs) withered wines: Amarone and Recioto. In recent years, however, the wineries have been interested in the enhancement and qualitative increase of another PDO, Valpolicella Superiore. All the Valpolicella PDOs wines are produced with a unique grape blend, mainly Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and a range of other minor varieties.From 2019 Valpolicella product regulation has changed the grape proportion of the blend allowing new composition parameters of wines. For this reason, studying the volatile chemical profiles to support wine makers in the effort to produce high quality wines represents a field of great interest.

WINE CONSUMER TRADE-OFF BETWEEN ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS AND SUSTAINABLE CLAIMS. AN EXPERIMENT ON RED WINES FROM BORDEAUX REGION

In economics, the perception of wine quality is not limited to sensorial characteristics: an indication of the region of production significantly affects the perception of quality and consumers’ WTP ([1]; [2]). However, [3] or more recently [4] show that even if a wine has an organic label, the taste of wine remains the predominant criterion in consumer preferences. The contribution of our experiment is to evaluate the impact of responsible attributes (organic label, Non Added Sulfites, HVE certification) on the appreciation of several red wines on the market. More than 280 consumers participated to the present study and they perform 25 tastings divided into 5 different sessions. 20 different red wines from Bordeaux Area are tasted.

INOCULATION OF THE SELECTED METSCHNIKOWIA PULCHERRIMA MP1 AS A BIOPROTECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO SULFITES TO PREVENT BROWNING OF WHITE GRAPE MUST

Enzymatic browning (BE) of must is caused by polyphenol oxidases (PPOs), tyrosinase and laccase. Both PPOs can oxidize diphenols such as hydroxycinnamic acids (HA) to quinones, which can later polymerize to form melanins [1], which are responsible of BE in white wines and of oxidasic haze in red wines. SO₂ is the main tool used to protect must from BE thanks to its capacity to inhibit PPOs [2]. However, the current trend in winemaking is to reduce and even eliminate this unfriendly additive. Among the different possible alternatives for protecting must against BE, the inoculation with a selected Metschnikowia pulcherrima MP1 is without any doubt one of the most promising ones.