The impact of high voltage electrical discharge plasma on the chromatic characteristics and phenolic composition of red and white wines

Abstract

Abstract The cold plasma is an emerging electrotechnology for the improvement of food safety without loss of physicochemical or sensory properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of plasma treatments on the chromatic characteristics and phenolic composition of red and white wines. The red wine Cabernet Sauvignon and white wine Grasevina were treated with high voltage electrical discharge plasma considering the variations in frequency (60, 90 and 120 Hz) and processing time (3, 5 and 10 min). Total phenolics, total anthocyanins, total tannins and chromatic characteristics were analyzed by spectrophotometry while free anthocyanins, phenolic acids and flavan-3-ols by the HPLC-UV/Vis. Obtained results illustrated that plasma treatments have influenced the stability of phenolic compounds in wines without major changes in color parameters. Also, among two different processing parameters, the duration time was the most significant factor inducing changes on wines. Industrial relevance High voltage electrical discharge plasma has been shown to affect the stability of wine phenols without any significant change in the color. An increase in the concentration of certain phenolic compounds in white wine suggest that this technique could be used in the wine industry as an alternative technique for enhancing the oxidative stability of wine and consequently the wine quality during the aging process.