The aim of this study was to identify the source of haze formation in red wine after the addition of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and to characterize the dynamics of precipitation. Ninety commercial wines representing eight grape varieties were collected, tested with two commercial CMC products, and analyzed for susceptibility to haze formation. Seventy-four of these wines showed a precipitation within 14 days independent of the CMC product used. The precipitates of four representative samples were further analyzed for elemental composition (CHNS analysis) and solubility under different conditions to determine the nature of the solids. All of the precipitates were composed of approximately 50% proteins and 50% CMC and polyphenols. It was determined that the interactions between CMC and bovine serum albumin are pH dependent in wine-like model solution. Furthermore, it was found that the color loss associated with CMC additions required the presence of proteins and cannot be observed with CMC and anthocyanins alone.

Abstract. The impact of the addition of ascorbic acid, sulfur dioxide and glutathione on oxidation product formation under accelerated oxidative conditions was evaluated in model wines. The effects of these antioxidants have been compared in aqueous ethanol solutions containing (+)-catechin and metal ions at pH 3.2 by monitoring O2 consumption, color evolution by CIELab, as well as (+)-catechin and glutathione decrease by LC-DAD/FD. The analysis of oxidation products formation was focused on the determination of yellowish colored xanthylium compounds by LC-ESI-ToFMS and acetaldehyde by HS-GC-FID. The results could show, that under some conditions glutathione could not inhibit carboxymethine-briged (+)-catechine dimer formation and subsequent xanthylium cation pigment generation, compared to ascorbic acid or sulfur dioxide addition providing a good protection against oxidative color changes. In systems containing 0.08 to 0.32 mmol/L glutathion without any further addition of SO 2 or ascorbic acid, increasing acetaldehyde concentrations could be observed. These results demonstrate clearly the need for further research to highlight the reactions of glutathione.