Evaluation of phenolic compounds in white wines treated with enzymes

Abstract

Wine's quality is influenced both by the grape characteristics and winemaking protocols. Awareness of the significant role of enzymes preparations in beverages technologies contributes to the optimization of the manufacturing process, for improving the chemical composition of the resulting wine and its organoleptic properties. This paper focuses on monitoring the impact of different commercial enzymes (pectinases and β-glycosides) on the main phenolic compounds content of Sauvignon blanc wines. For this experiment, ten phenolic compounds were quantified using a liquid-chromatography (LC) system coupled with ion trap mass spectrometer. The results indicated a significant influence of enzymes on wine’s phenolic fraction. Experimental samples presented high content in protocatechuic acid (9.99 - 13.75 μg/mL) and caftaric acid (2.69 - 9.80 μg/mL). The use of pectinases lead to an increase of phenolic compound’s concentration compared to the control.