Impact of a combined pulsed electric field (PEF) and enzymatic mash treatment on yield, fermentation behaviour and composition of white wine

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the combined application of a pulsed electric field (PEF) and an enzymatic treatment to white wine mash. The resulting impact of membrane permeabilisation by electroporation and pectin degradation by enzymes on fermentation behaviour and quality of white wine was assessed. The mash of two varieties, Traminer and Grüner Veltliner, was PEF treated (3 and 10 kJ/kg) using a continuous co-linear treatment chamber. Pectinases were added immediately afterwards and maceration was performed for 4 and 24 h. Various physico-chemical parameters were analysed at different stages of the production process and the impact of the combined treatment on volatile compounds such as esters and terpenes was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and a sensory panel in the final white wine after bottling and storage. Regardless of the PEF treatment intensity, the variety and the maceration time, the release of juice was not significantly influenced. For Traminer, the fermentation time was reduced through the enhanced extraction of nitrogen from 322 to 359 mg/L due to PEF treatment (10 kJ/kg). The release of phenols which were localized in the pulp, were significantly more affected than phenols from the skin. Although the concentration of selective esters especially of the variety Traminer significantly increased, the sensory evaluation indicated no positive effect on the olfactory properties. Overall, the combination of PEF and enzyme pretreatment showed benefits in reducing the fermentation time and increasing the content of selective esters for Traminer.

Pulsed Electric Fields as a Green Pretreatment to Enhance Mass Transfer from Grapes of Bioactive Molecules: Aromatic, Phenolic, and Nitrogen Compounds

“…Finally, Treat2-4 improved its presence in Grenache by about 32%. Differences depending on grape variety were also found in the study of Fauster et al [42], where the effects of a PEF treatment on white wine mash were significantly higher for the wines obtained from Traminer variety than those from Grüner Veltliner.…”

Pulsed electric field technology for the manufacturing processes of wine: A review

“…Micro‐oxygen and an electric field improved the quality of rice wine effectively and could be applied to other alcoholic beverages (González‐Arenzana, Portu, et al, 2019). In addition, the combined application of PEF and an enzymatic treatment to white wine mash resulted in a short fermentation time and increased content of selective esters for Traminer (Fauster et al, 2020). Some researchers reported the effect of combined utilization of PEF, temperature, and antimicrobials on red and white grape juices.…”

“…PEF technology offers several advantages, such as a continuous mode, high processing efficiency, and a constant treatment temperature, thereby inactivating spoilage microorganisms while maintaining the physicochemical and sensorial properties of the food (Akdemir Evrendilek et al, 2021). Despite the incorporation of PEF into the wine industry many years ago and the substantial literature about its applications in wine, PEF remains an emerging technology (Fauster et al, 2020; Lee et al, 2017; Xu et al, 2019). There is no specific legislation on food processed with PEF.…”

Inoculation of grape musts with single strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast reduces the diversity of chemical profiles of wines

“…This system was equipped with a ZB-5MS column (length: 60 min, ID: 0.25 mm, df = 0.25 μm) from Phenomenex (Torrance, USA). Minor and major esters in the wine samples were analysed using stable isotope dilution assay headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (SIDA-HS-SPME-GC-MS) [25,26]. All analyses were done in duplicate from two bottles.…”