Camelia Elena Luchian

Study of the potential use of mesoporous nanomaterials as fining agent to prevent protein haze in white wines and its impact in major volatile aroma compounds and polyols

Mesoporous nanomaterials were used to prevent protein haze in Muscat Ottonel and Pedro Ximénez wines. Major volatile compounds, polyols and turbidity were analyzed in fined wines and the results were compared with untreated and fined with bentonite wines. Two commercial mesoporous nanomaterial labelled as SBA-15 and MCM-41 provided a notable turbidity reduction and prevent protein haze as was demonstrated by the heat stability tests. Only, the siliceous material labelled as KIT-6 was not suitable for wine fining. All the chemical families were affected by the fining agents, although the loss of aroma compounds was lower with nanomaterials than with bentonite. The impact on volatile compounds concentration depends on tested wine, independently on the fining agent used. Wines were distinguished by principal components analysis, which was carried out using the volatile compounds as classifying variables. Wines treated with SBA-15 were closest to the control wine in terms of volatile compounds concentration.