Presence Of Wine Research Articles

Aspetti del mondo rurale nelle fonti artistiche tra storia e storiografia (secoli IX-XV)

The surveys on the history of the countryside have known in the last half century an extraordinary development which has also involved the examination of the sources of art history, the results of which proceed independently in the overall interpretation of the rural landscape. It deals with the state of current historiography, followed by an excursus (IX-XV century) on the sources of art that represent the contexts of the agrarian area with particular reference to the labours of the months (XI-XIII century) and to their cultural references. The essay explains the recurring themes of rural activities and agricultural products, such as the wheat threshing, the grape harvest, the killing of the pig or the presence of wine and bread, which are not read as cataloguing of simple iconographic subjects, but as a didactic tale impregnated by symbolic and religious values , as well as technical practices. The close examination continues, also suggesting connections with the late medieval sources, especially in reference to tacuina sanitatis.

Production of volatile phenols by Lactobacillus plantarum in wine conditions

Some lactic acid bacteria produce volatile phenols in culture medium but this activity has not been extensively studied in wine conditions. Red and white wines were mixed with MRS medium at different ratios to study the influence of wine on the metabolism of p-coumaric and ferulic acids by Lactobacillus plantarum. In MRS broth supplemented with these precursors at 10mgl(-1), only 4-ethylphenol was produced (1mgl(-1)) while, in the presence of wine, 4-vinylphenol was also obtained. Both volatile phenols are produced in nearly equal amounts (1mgl(-1)) or almost only 4-vinylphenol depending on the MRS:wine ratio. Thus, wine favours the accumulation of 4-vinylphenol. Ferulic acid was not or was weakly metabolized in the conditions studied.

Irrigation of an established vineyard with winery cleaning agent solution (simulated winery wastewater): Vine growth, berry quality, and soil chemistry

The ability to use winery wastewater (WW) for irrigation purposes could be a beneficial to the wine industry. A major difficulty in studying WW use is its inconsistent availability and composition. As such, we applied four simulated WWs composed of salts from two main industrial cleaning agents, and a control to 12-year-old ‘Syrah’ (clone 99, 3309C rootstock; Vitis riparia×V. rupestris). Briefly, the treatments simulated wineries utilising a sodium (Na) based cleaner; a potassium (K) based cleaner; a K based cleaner coupled with higher water use efficiency, resulting in a higher K concentration; and a combination of elevated K levels with the presence of wine, to consider the potential synergistic/antagonistic effects of the salts and organic matter. Soil salt concentrations increased consistently with the nature of the treatment applied, with K and Na treatments causing increased soil K and Na, respectively. Analysis of salt accumulation at various depths indicated that Na was more mobile in soils; however, the addition of wine to irrigation water enhanced K transport to the subsurface. Petiole concentrations of K and Na were approximately three-fold and nine-fold greater in the K and Na treatments than control. Attributes related to berry and juice quality differed among treatments at both véraison (juice K and anthocyanin concentrations) and harvest (juice Na, juice K, total phenolics, berry weight, and harvest weights), although the majority of these were slight, and therefore unlikely to have significant impact on wine quality. Based on the data collected, occasional irrigation with these simulated WWs appears to have had minimal impact on established vines. Nonetheless, there is potential for greater impacts to occur over longer time periods due to the perennial nature of grapevines and accumulation of salts in the soil.

Wine Features Related to Safety and Consumer Health: An Integrated Perspective

This review presents a global view of the current situation of the scientific knowledge about aspects of wine with possible repercussions (positive or negative) on consumer health and wine safety. The presence in wine of some potential harmful compounds such as phytosanitary products, trace metal compounds, sulfites, and some toxics of microbial origin, such as ochratoxin A, ethyl carbamate, and biogenic amines, is discussed. The different strategies and alternative methodologies that are being carried out to reduce or to avoid the presence of these substances in wines are also discussed. In recent years much work has focused on establishing the scientific explanations for the positive biological effects of some wine compounds. In this review, we also examine the latest knowledge regarding wine and health, focusing on two types of compounds that have been related to the positive effects of moderate wine consumption, such as phenolic compounds and bioactive peptides.

ON THE AGE AND CONTENT OF JAR-35-A SEALED AND INTACT STORAGE JAR FOUND ON THE SOUTHERN PLATEAU OF QUMRAN*

An intact and sealed storage jar known as Jar-35 was found in 2004, south of the Qumran settlement. A previous study identified tartrate in the deposit of the jar, indicating the possible past presence of wine (Buti et al. 2006). However, we cannot confirm this finding. Using liquid and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection, no trace of tartaric acid or salts thereof could be detected in our samples. We show that the major component of the deposit is gypsum. No other organic compounds were identified with the methods that we have applied. Both radiocarbon dating of charcoal in the deposit and thermoluminescence dating of the ceramic jar show that it dates to the main period of habitation at Qumran (c. 100 BC to AD 70).

An overview of ochratoxin A in beer and wine

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced mainly by several fungal species of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. This mycotoxin has been shown to be nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, teratogenic and carcinogenic to animals and has been classified as a possible carcinogen to humans. OTA occurs in a variety of foods, including beer and wine. Reports on OTA occurrence in beer indicate that this is a worldwide problem due to the widespread consumption of this beverage. At present, the European Union (EU) has not set a maximum allowable limit (MAL) for this mycotoxin in beer, although there is a limit in barley and malt. Studies carried out in different countries agree in the high proportion of samples contaminated with OTA although levels are, usually, below 0.2 ng/ml. OTA occurrence has been related to the contamination of malt barley with ochratoxigenic species, particularly Penicillium verrucosum. OTA produced in grains is carried to wort and, although fermentation decreases the concentration, the toxin is not eliminated. Reducing the fungal contamination of malt barley is the most promising strategy for reducing OTA in beer. With regard to wine, surveys on the presence of OTA have been conducted worldwide. The proportion of wines in which OTA is detected is very high (above 50%) in some countries (especially in the Mediterranean basin) although only a few wines contained concentrations exceeding the MAL laid down by the EU (2.0 ng/ml). A gradient of concentration is usually recognized; OTA levels decrease in the order red, rosé, and white wine but also with increasing latitude of the producing countries. OTA presence in wines is due to the black aspergilli, mainly A. carbonarius, which can grow on grapes in the vineyards and produce the toxin. At grape crushing, the juice can be contaminated with the toxin which is carried over into wine, where it persists due to its stability. Pre- and post-harvest treatments are being investigated to diminish contamination of wines as much as possible.

Use of SPE‐GC/EIMS for residue analysis in wine elaborated from musts spiked with formulations of chlorpyriphos‐methyl, methiocarb, dicofol, and cyproconazol

The likely presence in wine of residues of the active ingredient and its degradation products, besides the byproducts and excipients of the commercial formulation, has been investigated for four pesticides. Formulations containing chlorpyriphos-methyl, methiocarb, dicofol, and cyproconazol were added to must, which was subjected to a usual vinification. The wines elaborated from must spiked with the formulation of chlorpyriphos-methyl contained two pyridinol compounds in addition to excipients such as alkylbenzenes, naphthalene, and methylnaphthalenes. Methiocarb was hydrolyzed to yield the corresponding phenol, and various unidentified compounds related to cyproconazol were observed in wine. The residues of the dicofol-containing formulation resulted to be dechlorination products; impurities from its commercial formulation were also detected in must and wine extracts. White wines contained higher amounts of residues than red wines. The residues were detected after an SPE followed by GC/EIMS in the scan mode. The concentrations of the active ingredients were determined by a matrix-matched calibration to avoid quantitative errors arising from the matrix.

Chromatographic Analysis of Trans Resveratrol in Italian Wines: Comparisons between FL, UV and MS Detection

Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene) is a phytoalexin that belongs to the group of stilbenes, known to occur in grapes and consequently in grape products. Its presence in wine is an important qualitative parameter because of the several beneficial effects on human health. The aim of this work is the development of a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of trans resveratrol in wines, and comparisons between the results obtained by different detection techniques: UV-vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Resveratrol is analysed on a C-18 column using gradient elution. The method permits direct injection of sample, revealing to be time-saving, overcoming the need of sample pre-treatment steps. Detection limits were 154.8 ng mL−1 by HPLC-UV, 118.0 ng mL−1 by HPLC-FL and 48.0 ng mL−1 by HPLC-MS. Trans resveratrol has been then quantified in a group of 52 wines derived from different Italian regions, cultivars and winemaking technologies by HPLC-UV.

Effect of oxygenation on polyphenol changes occurring in the course of wine-making

The influence of controlled oxygenation on the colour and phenolic composition of red wine was studied by UV–VIS spectrophotometry, liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to diode array detection (DAD) and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry, and thiolysis. The comparison between the control and oxygenated wines demonstrated changes in colour characteristics along with a significant increase in concentrations of pyranoanthocyanins, ethyl-bridged compounds and derived pigments both with storage time and with oxidation. Principal component analysis was applied to wine analysis data measured throughout the conservation period. The effect of the storage time and oxygenation was clearly reflected in this analysis. Mass-spectrometric analysis of the wines demonstrated the presence of compounds which are markers of reactions involving acetaldehyde. Two types of mechanisms were observed. The first concerns acetaldehyde condensation reactions and the second, the cycloaddition process between anthocyanins and flavanols mediated by acetaldehyde, generating tannin-pyranoanthocyanins. The presence in wines of trimeric structures resulting from these mechanisms, as well as the results obtained after thiolysis of the fraction containing polymeric species obtained by Fractogel chromatography, confirm that proanthocyanidins react with acetaldehyde in the same way as flavanol monomers.

Removal of ochratoxin A in red wines by means of adsorption treatments with commercial fining agents.

The presence in wine of the fungal metabolite, ochratoxin A (OTA), represents a serious risk for consumer health. A variety of fining agents, including activated carbon, silica gel, potassium caseinate, egg albumin, and gelatin, was evaluated in relation to their abilities to remove OTA in fortified wines. Freundlich adsorption isotherms were used to model the adsorption behavior between ochratoxin A and the fining agent. Potassium caseinate and activated carbon were found to be the best fining agents that could be used to remove OTA in wine. Potassium caseinate removed up to 82% of OTA when used at 150 g/hL, whereas activated carbon showed the highest specific adsorption capacity due to a high surface area per mass and low adsorption of total polyphenols.

Review of Applications of Enzymatic Methods to the Determination of some Organic Acids in Wines

The essential characteristics of photometric enzymatic analyses are discussed along with application of these techniques to the determination of pyruvic acid, 2-ketoglutaric acid, malic acid, and L(+) lactic acid in wines. These determinations have shown for the first time the presence in wines of keto acids at levels of some tens (and even in some cases hundreds) of milligrams per liter. These simple specific and rapid enzymatic techniques permit the study of numerous intermediate metabolites which exist in small quantities in a natural material, the precise determination of which is very difficult in complex media such as wines Thus, a new path is opened in the progress of analytical enology and understanding of fermentation.