Abstract
Light exposure of white wine can cause a light-struck taste (LST), a fault induced by riboflavin (RF) and methionine (Met) leading to the formation of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), including methanethiol (MeSH) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). The study aimed to investigate the impact of different antioxidants, i.e., sulfur dioxide (SO2), glutathione (GSH) and chestnut tannins (CT), on preventing LST in model wine (MW) and white wine (WW), both containing RF and Met. Both MW and WW samples were added with the antioxidants, either individually or in different combinations, prior to 2-h light exposure and they were stored in the dark for 24 months. As expected, the light induced the degradation of RF in all the conditions assayed. Met also decreased depending on the antioxidants added. The presence of antioxidants limited the formation of LST as lower concentrations of VSCs were found in both MW and WW samples. In the latter matrix, neither MeSH nor DMDS were detected in the presence of CT, while only DMDS was found in WW+GSH, WW+SO2+GSH and WW+CT+SO2 samples at a concentration lower than the perception thresholds. Considering the antioxidants individually, the order of their effectiveness was CT ≥ GSH > SO2 in WW under the adopted experimental conditions. The results indicate tannins as an effective enological tool for preventing LST in white wine and their use will be further investigated in different white wines under industrial scale.
Highlights
Light exposure of white wine, especially at wavelengths spanning from 370 to 450 nm, has a detrimental impact on its sensory characteristics
The two esters, isopropyl 3,4 hexadionate and decanoic acid ethyl ester, both responsible for fruity notes, mostly decreased in the presence of antioxidants. These findings indicate the loss of fruity aromas due to the light exposure [3,49,50], the white wine used in this study was not characterized by evident floral and fruity notes
The use of additives against the appearance of light-struck taste (LST) in white wine is a crucial aspect in wine technology since a variety of oenological strategies exists potentially counteracting the sensory modifications after bottling
Summary
Light exposure of white wine, especially at wavelengths spanning from 370 to 450 nm, has a detrimental impact on its sensory characteristics. This defect arises from two opposite circumstances: the loss of floral and fruity notes [3], and the development of undesired flavors described as cooked cabbage, rotten eggs and onion [4]. The sulfur compounds related to this fault are methanethiol (MeSH). Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) that are generated through the reaction between riboflavin (RF), a highly photo-sensitive vitamin, and methionine (Met), a sulfur-containing amino acid [5].
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