THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF ULTRASOUND AND IONIZING RADIATION IN WINE AGING
Studies on maturation and aging of wine verified that chemical and sensory effects are produced in wine by ultrasound and by atomic radiation. These effects were studied by chemical and sensory analyses. Wine was treated with hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and air with and without ultrasound. Samples of the five major types of wine (white and red dry, white and red sweet, and shermat) were so treated. The gases other than oxygen and air were relatively inert toward wine with or without ultrasound, except that hydrogen produced a very low redox potential. Ultrasound generally produced very small chemical changes including reduction in acidity, increase in pH, and decreased absorbance at 280 m mu (primarily due to phenolic compounds). Sensory changes, however, were definite. A panel of tasters judged that ultrasound slightly decreased hotness (except with O/sub 2/), increased oxidized flavors, decreased grape aroma, and slightly decreased bottle bouquet without increasing complexity (except with O/sub 2/). Over-all quality scores were usually decreased by ultrasound. Introduction of a special flavor by ultrasound was also noted. The same wines, bottled under nitrogen, were exposed to 80000 to 1000000- rad doses of gamma rays in a Co/sup 60/ cell. Irradiation decreased the color of both red and white wines, causing the whites to be judged as less aged in color and the reds more aged with respect to color. Volatile aldehydes were increased, redox potential decreased, and pH reflected a small decrease in total acidity in irradiated wines. The lower levels of irradiation apparently had several effects, which, except for reduced grape aroma, were judged generally favorable to quality, particularly in the white port sample. The higher levels of irradiation altered the wines so much that, judged as standard wine types, they were considered to be reduced in quality. A special flavor was also produced. It was concluded that dosages of the order of 100000 rad might be useful with some standard wines to increase complexity and decrease hotness. (TCO)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of California, Davis
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-012514
- OSTI ID:
- 4115537
- Journal Information:
- Wines ; Vines, Vol. Vol: 34; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-64
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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