Polyglutamate Stabilization for Wine Oxidation and Precipitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for stabilizing wines against tartaric precipitation and oxidation, such as reducing metal content, using coadjuvants, or adding inhibitors, are either ineffective, costly, or environmentally harmful, and do not provide long-lasting solutions with minimal water consumption and waste production.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the addition of polyglutamate and/or polyaspartate to alcoholic drinks before bottling, which are biodegradable and non-toxic, effectively stabilizing against tartaric precipitation and oxidation while maintaining color stability and filterability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ferros cyanidation is used to stabilize wine against oxidation, then stabilization effectiveness is improved, but health safety deteriorates due to toxic deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful ferros cyanidation step entirely and replaces it with alternative stabilization methods that achieve the same protective function without introducing toxic substances. The wine is stabilized through controlled oxidation and filtration processes that eliminate the need for cyanide-based agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs temporary, non-toxic stabilizing agents that perform their function and are then easily removed or degraded, replacing permanent toxic additives with transient, safe alternatives that leave no harmful residues in the final product.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If caseinate is added to remove metals, then metal content is reduced, but stabilization effectiveness deteriorates compared to ferros cyanidation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of wine stabilization by using different pH conditions and oxidation states that allow for effective metal binding without requiring caseinate. The process utilizes controlled oxidation to transform metal ions into forms that can be easily filtered out, achieving both metal removal and high stabilization effectiveness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If cold treatment is applied to prevent tartaric precipitation, then tartaric stability is improved, but energy consumption increases and processing time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal system of cold treatment with a chemical system using tartaric acid and its salts. These substances chemically bind to excess cations, preventing tartaric precipitation through chemical complexation rather than physical cooling, thereby eliminating the need for energy-intensive refrigeration equipment and extended processing times.
4Stability of the object's composition
If electrodialysis is used to remove excess cations, then tartaric stability is improved, but water consumption increases and wastewater is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful excess cations through chemical binding with tartaric acid and subsequent filtration, eliminating the need for water-intensive electrodialysis processes. The method removes cations in-situ without requiring large volumes of water for the dialysis process or generating wastewater streams.
5Stability of the object's composition
If metatartaric acid is added to inhibit crystallisation, then tartaric stability is improved, but the effect duration is short and heating causes degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite approach combining tartaric acid with specific salts and other wine components to create a synergistic stabilization system. This composite chemical system provides long-lasting stability that persists through heating and aging, overcoming the short duration and heat sensitivity limitations of metatartaric acid alone.
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
The use of polyglutamate and polyaspartate achieves long-lasting stabilization of wines against tartaric precipitation and oxidation, outperforming existing methods in terms of effectiveness and environmental impact, with no adverse effects on wine quality or production processes.
Implementation Method 1
The stabilising action is due to the high charge density of the two compounds, such to change the electrochemical balances of the solutions it is a component of. Furthermore, a chelating effect is assumed towards cations and positively-charged agents in wine
Implementation Method 2
The stabilising action is due to the high charge density of the two compounds, such to change the electrochemical balances of the solutions it is a component of
Implementation Method 3
Oxidation reactions take place in the bottle in the presence of small or very small amounts of air, normally in the presence of iron and/or copper ions. Such reactions cause compounds responsible for the organoleptic qualities of a wine, such as flavours, pigments and tannins, to degrade
Data Source
AI summary
Process for the stabilizing of alcoholic drinks and precursors and derivatives thereof, consisting in adding thereto a solution containing polyglutamate and/or polyaspartate. The stabilization obtained is not only against tartrate precipitation, but also for colour stability and against oxidation. Such process basically provides the use of a composition containing polyglutamate, polyaspartate or a mixture of the two substances.