Loredana Liguori

Evolution of quality parameters during red wine dealcoholization by osmotic distillation

Osmotic distillation technique was used for the total dealcoholization of a red wine (Aglianico grape variety) up to 0.19 vol.%. The dealcoholization process was performed in subsequent cycles which gave rise wine samples at different alcoholic degrees. The effect of processing on the main chemical and physical properties of Aglianico wine was evaluated. Among wine samples, no significant differences (p<0.05) of oenological parameters such as pH, total acidity were found. Similarly, the total phenolic, flavonoids and tartaric esters content and the composition of organic acids did not show significant differences (p<0.05) during the process. On the contrary, colour intensity and tonality of wine samples changed significantly when the alcohol reduction was over the 6.5 vol.%. Finally, the total dealcoholized wine showed properties similar to Aglianico wine except for the volatile compounds, which decreased over 98%. Hence, flavour enrichment may be required to produce a pleasurable and delicious non alcoholic beverage from wine.

Aglianico wine dealcoholization tests

Abstract In the recent years, there has been a growing interest in partial or total dealcoholization of alcoholic beverages. The demand for drinks with low levels of alcohol is attributable both for health reasons and for the desire to reduce alcohol consumption in new generations. This research aims to produce a dealcoholized wine with less than 0.5% alcohol-by-volume from Aglianico. Dealcoholization tests were carried out by plant working on direct osmosis, equipped with a membrane contactor and some temperature sensors and automatic control of the process phases. The fixed alcohol content was achieved with 5 cycles, under mild condition. Chemical-physical and aromatic composition was evaluated in feed (wine) during the dealcoholization process.

Quality Attributes of Low-Alcohol Top-Fermented Beers Produced by Membrane Contactor

The practice of dealcoholization is used nowadays to reduce the alcohol content in beverages, and osmotic distillation seems to be a convenient membrane process due to its mild operating conditions. The focus is on the quality of final beverage which may lack in taste, flavor, and body. The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality attributes of low-alcohol beers, dealcoholized by osmotic distillation and using stripping solutions specific for the beverage composition. Two types of top-fermented beer were used: Weiss beer, with a very fruity aroma and strong phenolic content, and Bitter beer, with a malt aroma. Regarding the stripping solutions, they were obtained by dilution of the original beer with water, in order to limit the volatile compound loss during the process. Moreover, low-alcohol Weiss beer was also produced by using carbonated stripping solutions (i.e., saturated with CO2 at ambient pressure). The results highlighted that color, bitterness, total phenols, and antioxidant activity were unchanged in the low-alcohol beers but volatile compounds were reduced to a different extent. The lower vapor pressure of some volatile compounds (i.e., 2-phenylethanol, aldehydes) can explain their retention in beer. The carbonation of stripping solutions did not significantly reduce CO2 loss, but aldehydes and total alcohols were better retained in low-alcohol Weiss beer. Esters and other volatile compounds were reduced so that the low-alcohol beer may result with a weak sensory profile, which can be compensated by a re-addition of CO2 before bottling.

Investigation of Osmotic Distillation Technique for Beer Dealcoholization

A growing demand for low-alcohol drinks, due to health and social benefits resulting from lower alcohol consumption, has given rise to the development of techniques for alcohol reduction or elimination in beverages. The main difficulty is the development of a low alcohol content product with sensory properties similar to the original one. This work presents a preliminary study on the production of alcohol free beer (alcohol content = 0.5 %vol) by osmotic distillation technique, which allows to operate at low temperature and atmospheric pressure, using water as ethanol stripping agent. To this goal, a lab-scale plant equipped with a commercial membrane contactor with hollow fibers was set up. The effect of different stripping agents for ethanol removal on dealcoholization kinetics and on chemical and physical properties of the dealcoholized beer (i.e alcohol content, colour, pH, polyphenols, antioxidant activity) was investigated. Finally, the ethanol mass flux through the membrane during the dealcoholization process was measured and theoretically calculated with a good agreement.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Five White Onion (Allium cepa L.) Landraces

Five onion landraces belonging to Bianca di Pompei cv., cultivated in Campania region (Italy), were characterized for their main quality parameters. The onion landraces were harvested at the end of the growth cycle corresponding to the ripening time and harvest month, respectively: February, March, April, May, and June. The total content of volatile compounds as well as the sulfur-containing compounds in Aprilatica was significantly ( ) higher than the other landraces investigated. The nutraceutical feature investigated through the total phenols, phenols profile, and antioxidant activity showed higher values for the samples harvested in spring months. High pungency values ranging from 9 to 14 μmol/g FW were found in all onion landraces investigated as enzymatically (alliinase) produced pyruvate (EPY). The organic acids profile (malic, citric, succinic, pyruvic, oxalic, ascorbic, and tartaric acids) highlighted malic and citric acids in higher amounts in all landraces. Fructose, glucose, and sucrose were found as soluble sugars and fructose was the most abundant. Generally, the results highlighted the growth temperature influence on the investigated quality parameters.

Quality improvement of low alcohol craft beer produced by evaporative pertraction

The non-alcoholic beverage industry is influenced by the trend of the consumers towards healthier diets and added convenience and greater health benefits in their beverage choices. With the world’s changing approach to alcohol, operators need to find new beverages respect to the alcoholic ones. An alternative consists in the development of beverages similar to those alcoholic, but free of the negative effects of alcohol. Among various techniques for alcohol removal, evaporative pertraction is a simple and inexpensive process due to operating parameters and to the s tripping agent (generally water) used. We previously applied this technique to the dealcoholization of a lager beer, but a depletion of volatile compounds was observed. In this work we aim at producing a craft beer with reduced alcohol content (less than 1.2%vol) and with good quality. In order to limit aroma compound loss, evaporative pertraction using carbonated hydroalcoholic solutions as stripping agents, instead of water, was used. Moreover, maltodextrins were added in the beverage at the end of the dealcoholization process, in order to increase body and mouthfeel of the beer. The influence of these parameters was evaluated in terms of ethanol removal and beer quality properties (turbidity, foam, colour, bitterness, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, aroma) for the production of low alcohol craft beer, that is worth drinking.

Production of Low-Alcohol Beverages: Current Status and Perspectives

Abstract Low alcohol beverages represent a new fast-growing sector due to major awareness about serious long-term effects of drinking and societal and individual vulnerability factors on alcohol consumption have been reported, together with consumers’ preferences. This chapter is focused on the various techniques for low alcohol beverage production from wine and beer. Regarding wine, climate changes along with research of more intensely flavored products have produced more alcoholic wine. Regarding beer, the reduction of alcohol content aims at drinking less alcohol and familiarizing consumers with new, lower-alcoholic drinks. The main obstacles for development of these types of beverages are taste and quality. The right process should combine efficiency in terms of energy demand and capital costs, reducing alcohol content and keeping sensory quality of beverage. Finally, low-alcohol beverages may widen the marketing of functional beverages and satisfy the needs of different people.

Nanoclay based enhancers for microwaveable polymeric packaging

Polymeric materials are good candidates for microwaveable packaging thanks to their transparency to microwaves (MW). In addition, a great interest is devoted to developing innovative solutions based on systems that act as susceptors or heating enhancers to improving the characteristics of polymers in cooking/heating in MW ovens. This work was focused on design, production and characterization of nanocomposite multilayer poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films suitable for microwaveable food packaging applications. The matrices used were two PET copolymers modified respectively with carbon black (ULTRA STD) and with titanium oxide (ULTRA NA). Nanocomposite co-extruded multilayer films were produced using different percentages of Cloisite® 20A (C20A). Films were analyzed in order to evaluate the effect of nanoclay on the morphology, the barrier properties and the effectiveness of the systems in reducing the cooking times of meat products. Morphological analyses showed that intercalation increases by increasing the clay percentage in ULTRA STD based systems. Gas and water vapor permeability analyses showed, for both ULTRA STD and ULTRA NA matrices, a more significant improvement in systems with the lowest concentration of nanofiller. The cooking tests have pointed out that the selected matrices are efficient in reducing cooking times and that even low concentration of C20A acts as heating enhancer of PET.

PET based nanocomposite films for microwave packaging applications

In recent years, changes in life standards have promoted the diffusion of Ready to Cook (RTC) and Ready to Eat (RTE) products for microwave ovens. However, the main limits in microwave (MW) ovens usage are often related to the proper choice of packaging materials suitable for such technology. In fact, packages for microwaveable RTC and RTE foods should ensure adequate preservation of the product before cooking/heating such as high barriers to gases and aromas and adequate control of water vapor transmission. In addition, microwaveable packaging material must be transparent to MW, thermally stable and resistant to the mechanical stress induced by the accumulation in the head space of volatile substances produced during the cooking. Polymeric materials are good candidates for microwaveable packaging thanks to their transparency to MW. In the last years a great interest is devoted to developing innovative solution based on the use of additives or systems that act as susceptors or heating enhancers for improv...