Macrowine 2021
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Use of chitosan as a secondary antioxidant in juices and wines

Use of chitosan as a secondary antioxidant in juices and wines

Abstract

Chitosan is a polysaccharide produced from the deacetylation of chitin extracted from crustaceous and fungi. In winemaking chitosan is mainly used in the clarification of grape juice and wine, stabilization of white wines, removal of metals and to prevent wine spoilage by undesired microorganisms. The addition of chitosan to model wine systems was able to retard browning, reduce levels of metallic ions (Fe and Cu) and to protect varietal thiols due to its antiradical activity1. The present experiment was planned in order to evaluate the use of chitosan as a secondary antioxidant at three different stages of Sauvignon blanc fermentation and winemaking. Sauvignon blanc juices from three different locations were obtained at a commercial winery in Marlborough, New Zealand. One lots of grapes was collected from a receival bin and pressed into juice with a water-bag press, and a further juice sample was collected from a commercial pressing operation. Chitosan (1 g/L, low molecular weight, 75 – 85% deacetylated) was added to the juice after pressing, after cold settling, after fermentation, or at all these stages. Controls without any chitosan additions were also prepared. The fermentation was carried out using Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC 1118, with 700 mL of juice at 15°C. Analysis by GC-MS of C6 aldehydes and alcohols in the juices revealed that the addition of chitosan to the pressed juice lowered the concentration of E-2-hexenal, a known precursor of varietal thiol 3-mercapto hexanol, loss with cold settling. The juices that had chitosan added after pressing had their potential to form 3MH and 3MHA greatly lowered (by up to 90%), in comparison to control juices, and juices to which chitosan had been added after cold settling or after fermentation. In conclusion, the addition of low molecular weight chitosan as antioxidant or clarifying agent is not advised in the initial stages of winemaking if the higher levels of varietal thiols in the final wine are desired.

1 Chinnici, F., Natali, N., & Riponi, C. (2014). Efficacy of chitosan in inhibiting the oxidation of (+)-catechin in white wine model solutions. J Agric Food Chem, 62(40), 9868-9875.

Publication date: May 17, 2024

Issue: Macrowine 2016

Type: Poster

Authors

Leandro Dias Araujo*, Bruno Fedrizzi, Paul Kilmartin, Suzanne Callerot

*University of Auckland

Contact the author

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Macrowine | Macrowine 2016

Citation

Related articles…

Removal of Fumonisin B1 and B2 from red wine using polymeric substances

The Ability of PVPP (Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone), PVP-DEGMA-TAIC (copolimerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and triallyl isocyanurate) and PAEGDMA
(poly(acrylamide-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate)) polymers was tested as removal agents for Fumonisin B1 (FB1) and Fumonisin B2 (FB2) from model solutions and red wine. The polymers removal capacity was checked at three different resident times (2, 8 and 24 hours of contact time between the polymer and the sample), showing no differences in the percentage of FB1 and FB2 removal. Then, different polymer concentrations (1, 5 and 10 mg mL-1) were tested in model solution with and without phenolics (i.e. gallic acid and 4-methylcatechol).

Light-struck taste in white wine: enological approach for its prevention

Light-struck taste is a defect prevalent in white wines bottled in clear glass light-exposed for a considerable amount of time leading to a loss of color and appearance of sulfur-like odors. The reaction involves riboflavin (RF), a highly photosensitive compound that undergoes to intermolecular photoreduction by the uptake of two electron equivalents from an external donor, the methionine. The reaction includes different steps forming methional which is extremely unstable and decomposes to methane thiol and acrolein. The reaction of two molecules of methane thiol yields dimethyl disulfide. Methane thiol is highly volatile, has a low perception threshold (2 to 10 µg/L in wine) and confers aroma-like rotten eggs or cabbage.

Effect of intra‐vineyard ripeness variation on the efficiency of commercial enzymes on berry cell wall deconstruction under winemaking conditions

Intra-vineyard variation grape berry ripening occurs within bunches, between bunches on the same vine and between vines. Although it is assumed that such variation also occurs at the grape berry cell wall level, no study to data has investigated in any depth. Here we have used a intra-vineyard panel design to investigate pooled bunches from six vines (per panel) in the context of a winemaking scenario. The dissected vineyard was harvested by separate panels, where each panel was then subjected to a standard winemaking procedure with or without the addition of three different enzyme preparations for maceration.

Monitoring of Pesticide Residues from Vine to Wine

Those previous years, pesticides are often brought to the forefront by media. Questions arose about their toxicity for growers and consumers. Even if a downward trend is underway, the use of pesticides is required to ensure steady quality and quantity of harvests. A large number of active ingredients are authorized but regarding viticulture, mainly insecticides and fungicides are applied, to control pests and diseases and to increase crop yield. Some phytosanitary products, principally fungicides, applied close to the harvest date may frequently be detected in wines.

Study of the content of amino acids and biogenic amines in sparkling red wines

The production of red sparkling wines is lower in Spain in comparison with the winemaking of white or rosé sparkling wines. In red sparkling wine processing it is essential to obtain suitable base wines that should have moderate alcohol content, high acidity, good color values, an adequate mouth-feel and a sweet tannin. Grapes for sparkling wine production have to be harvested at low maturity stages, with lower alcohol contents and higher acidities, which will that the phenolic maturity of the grapes is also low, showing green tannins. This paper analyses different treatments in order to minimize these inconveniences: cold maceration-prefermentation and delestage to elaborate the grapes with lower maturity, must nanofiltration, and the partial osmosis of the wines made from grapes with an adequate maturity degree.