No abstract

Volatile profiles were determined for white wines of Feteasca regala variety produced from musts in which the antioxidants glutathione and ascorbic acid were added in different proportions before inception of alcoholic fermentation. Treatments with these antioxidants affect some volatile compound evolution and positively influence the wine volatile profile. After one year of storage in bottles with and without carbon dioxide protection the volatile profiles of the wines were assessed by using a Fast GC Alpha MOS Heracles e-Nose by applying a DFA multivariate statistical method and AroChemBase database for compound identification. The analyses showed that some higher alcohols, such as 2-phenylethanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol were in lower concentrations in wines treated with reduced glutathione, while the main ethyl fatty acid esters, such as ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, and ethyl decanoate were better preserved when higher concentrations of any of the antioxidants were added in must. On the other hand, it was observed that some other volatile compounds were not affected by these applied treatments.

The paper focuses on the evolution of the surfaces planted in Romania with the main wine grape varieties and also attempts to describe the impact of the funds received for the vine and wine sector after the country's accession to European Union in 2007. The evolution of planted surfaces and production is followed for the period 2007-2016, based on the data recorded in the digital database called National Register for Vine Plantations. The study presents the evolution of the surfaces covered with the most widely spread autochthonous and international varieties, for both white and red wines, which are, in decreasing order, Feteascȃ regalȃ, Feteascȃ albȃ, Merlot, Riesling, Aligote, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscat Ottonel, Feteascȃ neagrȃ, Pinot noir and Chardonnay. The largest newly planted surfaces were recorded in 2011 for most of these varieties, but a high impact of the support received from the EU was visible throughout the period 2008-2012. Later on, from 2013-2016, the rate of planting started to decrease.

Since 1988, alcohol has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, the highest level of risk, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). In fact, alcohol consumption is the third leading risk factor for disease and mortality in Europe. It accounts for 4.65 % of the global burden of both injury and disease, making it one of the most preventable causes of injury and death. Tissues in closest contact with alcohol when it is ingested, such as those of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus and larynx, have at greater risk of becoming cancerous than other body tissues. The consumption of alcohol is also associated with an increased risk of stomach, colon, rectum, liver, female breast and ovarian cancers. Conversely, recent studies suggest that red wine components inhibit colony formation of human breast cancer and esophageal carcinoma cells, suggesting that wine-derived phenolic compounds may be inhibitory, in contrast to the alcohol component of wine. Because of a lack of systematic studies dealing with the different types of cancer and alcoholic beverages and wine in particular, in this narrative review we summarize the general risk of cancer linked to the consumption of alcoholic beverages, including wine, according to type of cancer, with 140 extracted relevant references from 1966 to 2020. Mostly epidemiological studies concerning large cohorts have been selected. For the cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, liver, colorectum, breast cancer, pancreatic, prostate, an excessive consumption and/or misuse of alcoholic beverages is correlated with increased risk. Conversely a probable decreased risk has been found for renal/kidney cancers, as well as for Non-Hodgkin lymphomas, such as thyroid lymphomas, associated with the moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages. There is no evidence of ovarian, gastric, head and neck, and lung cancer being linked to the moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages. Cancer is a multifactorial disease, and many factors contribute to effects on health status, usually being both genetic and environmental. Habits (smoking, dietary/lifestyle pattern/ habits, physical activity), should also be taken into account when defining appropriate consumption frequencies for different types of alcoholic drink (wine, beer, spirits). Further research is needed related to wine consumption in the context of a healthy dietary and lifestyle pattern given health-promoting constituents of wine and its effects on cancer incidence.

A rich content of phenolic compounds (anthocyans and tannins) is a fundamental technological condition for the obtaining of quality red wines -appreciated by increasing numbers of consumers, aware of the benefic health effects brought about by these biologically active compounds. The biosynthesis of phenols and their accumulation in the grape berries during ripening is influenced by a multitude of factors. In this study we focused on terroir and on the biological potential of the authorized red varieties for wines with controlled denomination of origin in four centres of three well-established viticultural regions: the Hills of Dobrogea, the Hills of Moldova, the Hills of Muntenia and Oltenia. The polyphenolic potential of the grapes was evaluated for the crop of 2015 by the standard Glories method, thus obtaining results for the total polyphenolic potential (ApH1), the extractable anthocyans potential (ApH3,2), the percentage of anthocyans extractability (%AE), the maturity of the seeds (MS) and total polyphenols (PT). By classifying the freshly harvested grapes on the basis of their phenolic potential using the statistical method of Principal Component Analysis, the studied varieties are clearly differentiated based on the viticultural terroir.