Controlled Dehydration and Humidification for Noble Rot Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for promoting the formation of Botrytis cinerea in its noble form in grapes during the raisining process are difficult to control, leading to inconsistent and often incomplete development, resulting in reduced quality wines and significant production losses due to the inability to simultaneously achieve noble rot across all berries.
Innovation Solution
A controlled drying method involving dehydration, humidification, and conservation steps, managed by an air treatment plant with sensors and programmable parameters, to create favorable conditions for the simultaneous development of Botrytis cinerea in its noble form across all grapes, optimizing sugar concentration and metabolic changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grapes are dried in traditional fruit depositories with natural ventilation, then dehydration occurs over several months, but the formation of Botrytis cinerea in noble form cannot be controlled and varies significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The drying process uses dynamic adjustment of ventilation and humidity parameters through programmable controllers that modify environmental conditions at different stages of drying to promote uniform noble rot formation across all grape berries
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors monitor temperature, humidity, and ventilation conditions in real-time, providing feedback to the control system which automatically adjusts parameters to maintain optimal conditions for noble rot development throughout the drying process
2Manufacturing precision
If grapes undergo natural dehydration in well-ventilated areas, then water evaporation occurs, but simultaneous development of noble rot across all berries cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The drying process alternates between periods of enhanced ventilation for dehydration and periods of controlled humidity for noble rot development, creating cyclic patterns that promote uniform fungal formation across all berries while maintaining efficient drying timelines
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature, humidity, and ventilation parameters are systematically changed throughout the drying process to create optimal conditions for noble rot formation, with specific parameter ranges applied at different stages to ensure uniform development across all grape berries
3Reliability
If climatic conditions in the field are used for noble rot formation, then Botrytis cinerea may develop, but the process is difficult to control and leads to inconsistent results
Solution Approach 1:
The fruit depository creates a controlled, isolated environment that shields grapes from unpredictable external climatic variations, providing a stable and consistent atmosphere for noble rot formation that can be precisely regulated regardless of outdoor weather conditions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the simultaneous and widespread development of noble rot, reducing production costs and ensuring high-quality wines by automating the drying process and ensuring uniform dehydration and humidification, resulting in grapes ready for vinification without costly pre-selection.
Implementation Method 1
a drying process, more correctly called an 'overmaturation' process, takes place and causes dehydration of the grapes due to the evaporation of the water contained in the berries
Implementation Method 2
The drying process must be carefully controlled in order to avoid the formation of Botrytis cinerea in its common form ('grey rot'), which causes a serious deterioration of the product. On the other hand, in the case of white grapes, the presence of Botrytis cinerea in larva form ('noble rot'), which is different in that it develops mainly inside the berry
Data Source
AI summary
Drying method for improving the organoleptic properties of wines, which envisages treating the grape stored in the premises equipped with processes for conditioning at a controlled temperature and humidity, which comprise a dehydration step able to produce a concentration of the sugars present in the berries greater than or equal to 20 degrees Brix, a subsequent humidification step in an atmosphere having a relative humidity greater than 95% and a subsequent conservation step in an atmosphere having a relative humidity of less than 80%.