Evaluating the greenness of wine analytical chemistry: A new metric approach

Abstract

Wine is a complex matrix whose composition depends on climatic, agricultural, and winemaking factors, making quality control and authenticity assessment critical in the global market. To meet the increasing demand for high-quality wines, a range of analytical methodologies has been developed and employed. Simultaneously, sustainability concerns have taken attention, with the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) demanding scientific innovation aligned with environmental awareness [1]. Detailed frameworks like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) are already employed to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life, special attention is required to the analytical procedures in use, as they play a pivotal role in ensuring sustainability within the wine sector. Existing green analytical metrics, such as Analytical Eco-Scale [2], GAPI [3], and AGREE [4], present limitations in quantifying the environmental impact of analytical procedures, when applied to wine analysis. To bridge these gaps, this study proposes the Green Wine Analytical Procedure Evaluation (GWAPE), a novel framework designed to assess the greenness of wine analytical methods. The GWAPE tool was developed by refining and integrating key aspects of existing greenness metrics to provide quantitative assessments. Some of the previous green criteria of analytical chemistry not applicable to wine analysis were excluded and new principles tailored to enological analysis were introduced. GWAPE metric is structured around 10 principles and includes a Python-based software tool to facilitate its application [5]. The tool was tested on three key analytical procedures in wine analysis: the enzymatic determination of glucose and fructose (OIV-MA-AS311-02, Type II), the determination of reducing substances (OIV-MA-AS311-01A, Type IV), and the FTIR-based determination of glucose and fructose. The GWAPE evaluation revealed significant differences in the environmental impact of these methods, with FTIR emerging as the most eco-friendly (3.5/5) due to its minimal reagent consumption and reduced waste generation. The enzymatic determination of glucose and fructose received a score of 2.5/5, while the determination of reducing substances was the least environmentally friendly approach (1.8/5). By providing a practical and discriminatory assessment of analytical procedures, GWAPE facilitates the adoption of greener practices in wine analysis. Its ability to quantitatively classify and compare methods enhances decision-making for laboratories and regulatory bodies, promoting environmentally responsible analytical approaches in the wine sector.

References

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[5] Thanasi, V.; Lopes, A. B.; Barros, P.; Ribeiro, N.; Ricardo-da-Silva, J. M.; Catarino, S. (2024). Evaluating the Greenness of Wine Analytical Chemistry: A New Metric Approach. Foods, 13, 3557.