Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Reduction of the allergenic potential of wines using novel alternative...
Coordinator
MetaOmics and MultiOmics approaches will be used for the identification and quantification of toxic compounds in novel sources or ingredients, also to anticipate risks related to novel foods and new sustainable food processes. The culture collection from task 3.1.1 will be used for challenge experiments in pilot plants mimicking industrial manufacturing. Food toxicants in new ingredients and food processing technologies will be evaluated (in connection with Spoke 2). Allergenicity (also with computational approaches) and toxicity will be considered by in vitro and in vivo tests. Exposure assessment and risk- benefit assessment (RBA) of novel foods will be performed.
Completion of novel food/technologies microbiological RA (M30)
Sulphites are chemical preservatives commonly used at various stages of the wine-making process due to their antimicrobial, antioxidant and dissolving properties. If added in excess, sulphites can affect the quality of wine, due to a number of negative effects on sensitive consumers and the appearance of specific aromas. In September 2022, based on the follow-up of the re-evaluation of sulphites, EFSA determined that current levels of sulphite-sulphur dioxide use may be of concern (EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), EFSA Journal 2022, e07594). On the other hand, the elimination/reduction of sulphites in wines is discussed at different levels (legislative, scientific, commercial) and is still a technological challenge due to its negative impact on the microbiological, chemical and sensory stability of wines. Recently, a natural low molecular weight phenolic substance with significant antioxidant activity was authorised by EFSA as a novel food (NF) under Regulation (EC) No 258/97.
A selection of low molecular weight natural phenolic substances extracted from the processing of vegetable raw materials (therefore very low cost) will be tested in addition to low or no doses of sulfites (the reference doses for organic wines) to improve the oxidative stability of quality wines. The experimentation involves studying the effect of these novel foods during the storage of quality wine in bottles for a period of at least twelve months in controlled conditions. The effects on the durability of wines will be investigated by obtaining chemical fingerprints of non-volatile and volatile compounds using standard wine quality parameters and high resolution techniques (HPLC-MS and/or GCxGC/TOF-MS) combined with the sensory evaluation of the bottled wines and the elaboration of the results with a chemometric approach.
The expected result will be the development of at least one innovative natural additive in oenology with a reduced allergenic potential compared to sulphites and allowing an acceptable shelf life for quality wine.
After evaluating the effectiveness of two different additions of natural phenolic antioxidants added to the wine before bottling, it will be possible to define the right amount of antioxidant (or at least the concentration range) to be added to meet the required wine quality parameters and significantly reduce safety risks. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that the artificial addition of natural low molecular weight phenolic antioxidants in food products increases resistance to degradative phenomena such as oxidation. The effect on enriching the sensory complexity of the wine will be evaluated in parallel by a panel of trained tasters. The proposed project fully addresses risk mitigation strategies and responds to the industrial needs of the wine supply chain.
