Compounds causing cork taint and the factors affecting their transfer from natural cork closures to wine – a review

Abstract

The compounds causing cork taint and the factors affecting their transmission from cork to wine are discussed. These factors include: the solubilities of the taint compounds in wine, their affinity for the surface and the interior parts of the cork; their location on the surface of and within the closure; the rates at which they can migrate through the cork matrix; the volume of wine in contact with a closure(s); and whether taint transmission is taking place in bottled wine or with corks soaked in wine for screening purposes. 2,4,6‐Trichloroanisole (TCA) has been the primary topic of investigations reported in the general literature and is therefore the main focus of this article.

Molecular Fingerprinting by PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis Reveals Differences in the Levels of Microbial Diversity for Musty-Earthy Tainted Corks

“…This list included 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), geosmin (GSM), 2-methyl-isoborneol (MIB), 1-octen-3-one, and 1-octen-3-ol, as the most relevant compounds. More recently, different methoxypyrazines, such as 2-methoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine (IPMP) and 2-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyrazine (MDMP), together with 2,3,4,6-tetrachloroanisole or 2,4,6-tribromanisole, have also been described as causative agents of musty, earthy, or moldy aromas in wine and cork (9,43). The main contributors to cork taint are considered to be TCA, MDMP, and TBA (43,48,49).…”

Off-flavours in wines through indirect transfer of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from coatings

“…So when faulty corks are used for sealing wine bottles, unpleasant substances can migrate into the wine and and off-flavours can occur (Chatonnet et al 2004;Sefton and Simpson, 2005). It is therefore important to ensure that the properties of wine are not altered by environmental contamination such as VOCs from coatings.…”

Cyclic voltammetry: A tool to quantify 2,4,6-trichloroanisole in aqueous samples from cork planks boiling industrial process

“…Although other sources of 53 contamination exist [1,2] cork is pointed out as its main cause, since cork stoppers would be the 54 source of wine contamination by chloroanisoles, specially 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA), that 55 confers a very unpleasant fungal aroma to the wine even at concentrations of 2-4 ng/L [3]. Different 56 detection (1.4 to 4.6 ng/L) and recognition thresholds (4.2 to 10 ng/L) have been reported [3].…”

“…Different 56 detection (1.4 to 4.6 ng/L) and recognition thresholds (4.2 to 10 ng/L) have been reported [3]. The 57 former can be defined as the minimum value of a sensory stimulus needed to give rise to a sensation 58 and the latter as the minimum value of a sensory stimulus permitting identification of the sensation 59 perceived [1]. However, other chemical compounds, like 2,4,6-tribromoanisole, 2-methoxy-3,5-60 dimethylpyrazine, geosmine, guaiacol, 1-octen-3-one, 1-octen-3-ol or 2-methyl-isoborneol, are also 61 able to taint the wine with fungal off-odours [4,5].…”

“…Wine contamination with fungal aromas is a major problem for the wine industry, namely the 52 organoleptic defect usually (and erroneously) designated as cork taint [1]. Although other sources of 53 contamination exist [1,2] cork is pointed out as its main cause, since cork stoppers would be the 54 source of wine contamination by chloroanisoles, specially 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA), that 55 confers a very unpleasant fungal aroma to the wine even at concentrations of 2-4 ng/L [3].…”