Can a Corn-Derived Biosurfactant Improve Colour Traits of Wine? First Insight on Its Application during Winegrape Skin Maceration versus Oenological Tannins.

Giulia Scalzini,Luca Rolle,Simone Giacosa,Vincenzo Gerbi,Alejandro López-Prieto,Ana B Moldes,Susana Río Segade,Maria A Paissoni,Jose M Cruz,Vasileios Englezos,Benita Pérez Cid

doi:10.3390/foods9121747

Abstract

In winemaking, oenological tannins are used to preserve wine colour by enhancing the antioxidant activity, taking part in copigmentation, and forming polymeric pigments with anthocyanins. As a novel processing aid, in this study, a biosurfactant extract was evaluated as a solubilizing and stabilizing agent of anthocyanins in red wine. The biosurfactant extract under evaluation was obtained from a fermented residual stream of the corn milling industry named corn steep liquor (CSL). Two red winegrape varieties (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Aglianico and Cabernet sauvignon) were studied for anthocyanin content and profile, and colour traits, during simulated skin maceration for 7 days at 25 °C, as well as polymerization and copigmentation at the end of maceration. A model wine solution was used as a control, which was added either with the CSL biosurfactant or with four different oenological tannins (from grape skin, grape seed, quebracho, and acacia). The results showed that CSL biosurfactant addition improved the colour properties of skin extracts by the formation of more stable compounds mainly through copigmentation interactions. These preliminary results highlighted that the effectiveness of CSL biosurfactant is variety-dependent; however, there is no significant protection of individual anthocyanin compounds as observed for delphinidin and petunidin forms using quebracho tannin.

Highlights

Perceived colour is an important attribute directly influencing the quality of red wine [1].This feature can determine the product acceptability by consumers as it is related to wine ‘healthy’ and age
These phenolic compounds are extracted in the first stages of maceration, even though their diffusion rate depends on the anthocyanin profile
The average values of analytical parameters determined at harvest in unsorted samples for the two red winegrape varieties studied were the following: 24.65 Brix, pH 3.29, and 7.31 g/L as tartaric acid for titratable acidity in Aglianico; and 22.65 Brix, pH 3.44, and 6.08 g/L as tartaric acid for titratable acidity in Cabernet sauvignon

Summary

Introduction

Perceived colour is an important attribute directly influencing the quality of red wine [1].This feature can determine the product acceptability by consumers as it is related to wine ‘healthy’ and age. Perceived colour is an important attribute directly influencing the quality of red wine [1]. Monomeric anthocyanins are located in the berry skin and they are responsible for the colour of red grapes and resulting wines [5]. These phenolic compounds are extracted in the first stages of maceration, even though their diffusion rate depends on the anthocyanin profile. It is well-known that disubstituted anthocyanins diffuse faster than trisubstituted forms [3]. They can be oxidized, and wine colour protection requires the formation of more stable anthocyanin-derived pigments

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Conclusion