Grape and Wine Metabolites: Biotechnological Approaches to Improve Wine Quality

Grape metabolites can be affected by many extrinsic and intrinsic factors, such as grape variety, ripening stage, growing regions, vineyard management practices, and edaphoclimatic conditions. However, there is still much about the in vivo formation of grape metabolites that need to be investigated. The winemaking process also can create distinct wines. Nowadays, wine fermentations are driven mostly by single-strain inoculations, allowing greater control of fermentation. Pure cultures of selected yeast strains, mostly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are added to grape must, leading to more predictable outcomes and decreasing the risk of spoilage. Besides yeasts, lactic acid bacteria also play an important role, in the final wine quality. Thus, this chapter attempts to present an overview of grape berry physiology and metabolome to provide a deep understanding of the primary and secondary metabolites accumulated in the grape berries and their potential impact in wine quality. In addition, biotechnological approaches for wine quality practiced during wine alcoholic and malolactic fermentation will also be discussed

Pomološka i senzorna svojstva osam različitih sorata smokve u Hrvatskoj

The common fig (Ficus carica L.) is a fruit species traditionally cultivated in coastal Croatia. After some years of being of low commercial value, the interest in fig consumption and cultivation in this region seems to start following the increasing trend. One way of promoting fig consumption is to identify the varietal sensory properties, intending to match the consumer preferences. For this reason, the goal of this study was to evaluate sensory properties and pomological characteristics of fresh fruits of five dark (‘Šaraguja’, ‘Miljska’, ‘Crnica’, ‘Piombinese’, ‘Nero Rosso’) and three light-coloured (‘Petrovača bijela’, ‘Tiger’, ‘San Martino’) skin fig varieties, grown in Croatia. Figs were harvested from 5-years old trees in the fig experimental orchard located in Istria County (Croatia). Significant differences were observed for the properties of appearance, odour, flavour, and taste. Fresh fruits of varieties \u27Šaraguja\u27 and \u27Tiger\u27 reached the highest scores for the intensity of taste, fig odour, and flavour, compared to all the others. The highest values regarding fruit thickness and width were recorded from the variety \u27Petrovača bijela\u27, lenght from the variety \u27Šaraguja\u27, while \u27San Martino\u27 variety had the fruits of biggest weight. The variety \u27Miljska\u27 displayed the lowest values in all the observed pomological parameters. The importance of the pomological description and observation of sensory parameters of fresh figs lies in permitting the producers to decide the potential of each variety based on consumer preferences.Smokva (Ficus carica L.) je voćna vrsta koja se tradicionalno uzgaja u primorskoj Hrvatskoj. Nakon nekoliko godina niske komercijalne vrijednosti ove kulture, čini se da interes za potrošnjom i uzgojem smokava u ovoj regiji počinje rasti. Jedan od načina promicanja konzumacije smokava je prepoznavanje sortnih senzornih svojstava, sa ciljem usklađivanja sklonosti potrošača. Iz tog razloga cilj ovog istraživanja bio je procijeniti senzorna i pomološka svojstva svježih plodova pet crnih (\u27Šaraguja\u27, \u27Miljska\u27, \u27Crnica\u27, \u27Piombinese\u27, \u27Nero Rosso\u27) i tri bijele (\u27Petrovača bijela\u27, \u27Tiger\u27, \u27San Martino\u27) sorte smokve uzgojene u Hrvatskoj. Smokve su ubrane s pet godina starih stabala u pokusnom smokviku u Istarskoj županiji (Hrvatska). Uočene su značajne razlike u svojstvima izgleda, mirisa, arome i okusa. Svježi plodovi smokve sorti ‘Šaraguja’ i ‘Tiger’ postigli su najviše ocjene za intenzitet okusa, mirisa i arome smokve u odnosu na sve ostale sorte. Najviše vrijednosti debljine i širine ploda utvrđene su za sortu \u27Petrovača bijela\u27, širine za sortu \u27Šaraguja\u27, dok je sorta \u27San Martino\u27 imala plodove najveće mase. Sorta \u27Miljska\u27 imala je najmanje vrijednosti za sva istraživana pomološka svojstva. Važnost pomološkog opisa i istraživanja senzornih svojstava svježih smokava leži u omogućavanju proizvođačima da odluče o potencijalu svake sorte na temelju preferencija potrošača

Genotype, Environment and Management Practices on Red/ Dark-Colored Fruits Phenolic Composition and Its Impact on Sensory Attributes and Potential Health Benefits

Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites abundant in our diet. These compounds may affect positively or negatively the sensory characteristics of food with important impacts on color, flavor, and astringency. An adequate consumption of phenolic compounds may also offer health benefits. After the consumption of fruits, the colon is the main site of microbial fermentation, where high molecular weight phenolic compounds are transformed into low molecular weight phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids or lactone structures by intestinal microbiota, which produce metabolites with biological and antioxidant activity, with evidence on health benefits for humans. A large amount of different phenolic compounds are responsible for physicochemical and sensory characteristics of table grapes and wines. Also, sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is one of the most popular temperate table fruits; they contain flavonoids, flavan‐3‐ols, and flavonols in addition to non‐flavonoid compounds. Anthocyanins are the major polyphenols in blueberries, and this group of phytochemicals is thought to be responsible for many of the health benefits of berry consumption. Therefore, considering the importance of red/dark‐colored fruits phenolic composition, the purpose of this chapter is to make a review of the most recent publications about these fruits’ phenolic composition and their impact on sensorial properties as well as the effect of microorganisms on fruit phenolic composition

Influence of non-allergenic fining agents on white wine phenolic and volatile composition

White wine fining is important to stabilize wine colour by removing phenolic compounds. The choice of oenological products is important since consumers are concerned regarding food safety. Due to allergic reaction problems by some consumers, together with the restriction of EU legislation [1], non-allergenic fining agents are being developed in detriment of traditionally used. However, the impact these fining agents on wine phenolic and volatile compounds are not well known. This work aims to evaluate the impact of six fining agents (one traditionally used potassium caseinate and five non-allergens) on wine phenolic and volatile compounds as well as on the sensory profile of a white wine from the Douro Region. All non-allergenic fining agents tested prevent the browning capacity. This could be related to the decrease in white wine colour observed. Sensory analysis indicated that only the wines treated with potassium caseinate and polyvinylpolypyrrolidone showed a significant decrease in colour attribute.Supported by FCT project UID/AGR/04033/2013, CQ-VR, FCT funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. Additional thanks to the Project NORTE-01-0145- FEDER-000038 (I&D INNOVINE&WINE – Innovation Platform of Vine & Wine).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ion exchange resins for tartarestabilization: impacto on Rose wine quality

Tartaric acid is the most important organic acid in the wine. It is easily ionized, leading to the formation of precipitates like potassium hydrogen tartrate (KHT) and calcium tartrate (CaT). Although, not harmful to health of the consumer, these precipitates, leads to a decrease in the commercial acceptance and consequently to the decrease of the commercial value of the wine. To prevent the occurrence of these precipitations several treatments can be used. Among them, ion exchange resins is an accepted stabilization process by the OIV according to the Resolution 43/2000, as well as the treatment with oenological products such as metatartaric acid, since 1970, and carboxymetilcelulose (CMC’s), since 2009. Therefore, the aim of this work was to compare the impact of ion exchange resins with oenological additives, such as CMC’s with different structural features and metatartaric acid, on wine quality. For this propose, Douro Valley wines treated with ion exchange resins, CMC and metatartaric acid were evaluated concerning there physicochemical (phenolic compounds, chromatic characteristics, mineral composition and phenolic profile by HPLC-DAD) and sensory characteristics. Results shown that, white wine treated with ion exchange resins, presented lower concentration of total phenolic compounds compared to treated wines with oenological additivesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Consumo alimentar e ingestión de hierro por mujeres embarazadas y en edad reproductiva

This study compares the eating habits and consumption of natural and fortified iron sources in pregnant and reproductive aged women. This cross-sectional study was developed in a health center located in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. We studied 61 women, of which 30 were pregnant. A food frequency questionnaire and a 24-hour recall instrument were used. The main natural sources of iron were beans and greens, although fortified foods were also an important source. There was little statistically significant difference between the food consumption of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Inadequate intake of iron, folate and calcium was observed in both groups. Non-pregnant women meet the iron recommendation, considering the iron added in fortified foods, though pregnant women do not. These results suggest the need for mixed strategies: food fortification, iron supplements for pregnant women and nutritional instruction for women in general.Comparar a prática alimentar e o consumo de alimentos fontes de ferro, naturais e fortificados, de mulheres em idade reprodutiva, gestantes ou não, constituiu o objetivo desta pesquisa. Estudo transversal, desenvolvido em um centro de saúde do município de São Paulo, envolvendo 61 mulheres, sendo 30 gestantes. Utilizou-se questionário de frequência de consumo alimentar e recordatório de 24h. As principais fontes naturais de ferro foram feijão e folhas verdes. Alimentos fortificados também tiveram participação importante. Houve pequena diferença estatisticamente significativa entre o consumo alimentar das gestantes e não gestantes. Observou-se inadequação do consumo de ferro, folato e cálcio nos dois grupos. As mulheres não gestantes atenderiam a demanda de ferro, considerando-se o adicional recomendado para a fortificação das farinhas, porém, as gestantes não. Há necessidade de estratégias combinadas: fortificação dos alimentos, suplementação medicamentosa para gestantes e orientação nutricional para as mulheres em geral.Comparar la práctica alimentar y el consumo de alimentos fuentes de hierro, naturales y fortificados, de mujeres en edad reproductiva, gestantes o no, constituye el objetivo de esta investigación. Se trata de un estudio transversal, desarrollado en un centro de salud del municipio de Sao Paulo, en el cual participaron 61 mujeres, siendo 30 gestantes. Se utilizó un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo alimentar y un recordatorio de 24h. Las principales fuentes naturales de hierro fueron frijoles y hojas verdes. Alimentos fortificados también tuvieron participación importante. Hubo una pequeña diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre el consumo alimentar de las gestantes y no gestantes. Se observó inadecuación del consumo de hierro, folato y calcio en los dos grupos. Las mujeres no gestantes atenderían la demanda de hierro, considerándose el adicional recomendado para la fortificación de las harinas, sin embargo, las gestantes no. Hay necesidad de implementar estrategias combinadas: fortificación de los alimentos, suplemento medicamentoso para gestantes y orientación nutricional para las mujeres en general

Obrigatoriedade na educação infantil: avanços e questões no cenário brasileiro

The article discusses the nature of compulsory early childhood education in Brazil, presenting an overview of the enrollment offer in daycare centers and pre-schools in the period 2014-2018. How has compulsory childhood education been consolidated in national policy? Are there vacancies in the infant education segment for all Brazilian children? In order to answer these questions, we conducted a survey using data released by Inep and IBGE. Despite the compulsory schooling in the preschool being close to reaching the goals established by public policies, the data indicate the need for significant investments in the daycare segment.El artículo analiza la naturaleza obligatoria de la educación de la primera infancia en Brasil, presentando una visión general de la oferta de inscripción en guarderías y preescolares en el período 2014-2018. ¿Cómo se ha consolidado la educación obligatoria en la primera infancia en la política nacional? ¿Hay vacantes en el segmento de educación infantil para todos los niños brasileños? Para responder a estas preguntas, realizamos una encuesta con datos publicados por Inep y IBGE. A pesar de que la escolarización obligatoria en el preescolar esté cerca de alcanzar las metas establecidas por las políticas públicas, los datos indican la necesidad de inversiones significativas en el segmento de guardería.O artigo discute a obrigatoriedade da educação infantil no Brasil, apresentando um panorama da oferta de matrículas nas creches e pré-escolas no período de 2014-2018. Como a obrigatoriedade na educação infantil tem se consolidado na política nacional? Há vagas no segmento da educação infantil para todas as crianças brasileiras? Para responder a estas questões, realizamos uma pesquisa utilizando dados divulgados pelo Inep e pelo IBGE. Apesar da obrigatoriedade escolar na pré-escola estar próxima de atingir as metas estabelecidas pelas políticas públicas, os dados indicam a necessidade de investimentos significativos no segmento creche

Consumo alimentar e ingestão de ferro de gestantes e mulheres em idade reprodutiva

This study compares the eating habits and consumption of natural and fortified iron sources in pregnant and reproductive aged women. This cross-sectional study was developed in a health center located in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. We studied 61 women, of which 30 were pregnant. A food frequency questionnaire and a 24-hour recall instrument were used. The main natural sources of iron were beans and greens, although fortified foods were also an important source. There was little statistically significant difference between the food consumption of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Inadequate intake of iron, folate and calcium was observed in both groups. Non-pregnant women meet the iron recommendation, considering the iron added in fortified foods, though pregnant women do not. These results suggest the need for mixed strategies: food fortification, iron supplements for pregnant women and nutritional instruction for women in general.Comparar la práctica alimentar y el consumo de alimentos fuentes de hierro, naturales y fortificados, de mujeres en edad reproductiva, gestantes o no, constituye el objetivo de esta investigación. Se trata de un estudio transversal, desarrollado en un centro de salud del municipio de Sao Paulo, en el cual participaron 61 mujeres, siendo 30 gestantes. Se utilizó un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo alimentar y un recordatorio de 24h. Las principales fuentes naturales de hierro fueron frijoles y hojas verdes. Alimentos fortificados también tuvieron participación importante. Hubo una pequeña diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre el consumo alimentar de las gestantes y no gestantes. Se observó inadecuación del consumo de hierro, folato y calcio en los dos grupos. Las mujeres no gestantes atenderían la demanda de hierro, considerándose el adicional recomendado para la fortificación de las harinas, sin embargo, las gestantes no. Hay necesidad de implementar estrategias combinadas: fortificación de los alimentos, suplemento medicamentoso para gestantes y orientación nutricional para las mujeres en general.Comparar a prática alimentar e o consumo de alimentos fontes de ferro, naturais e fortificados, de mulheres em idade reprodutiva, gestantes ou não, constituiu o objetivo desta pesquisa. Estudo transversal, desenvolvido em um centro de saúde do município de São Paulo, envolvendo 61 mulheres, sendo 30 gestantes. Utilizou-se questionário de frequência de consumo alimentar e recordatório de 24h. As principais fontes naturais de ferro foram feijão e folhas verdes. Alimentos fortificados também tiveram participação importante. Houve pequena diferença estatisticamente significativa entre o consumo alimentar das gestantes e não gestantes. Observou-se inadequação do consumo de ferro, folato e cálcio nos dois grupos. As mulheres não gestantes atenderiam a demanda de ferro, considerando-se o adicional recomendado para a fortificação das farinhas, porém, as gestantes não. Há necessidade de estratégias combinadas: fortificação dos alimentos, suplementação medicamentosa para gestantes e orientação nutricional para as mulheres em geral

The science behind beverage flavors: The role of pH and amylase enzyme in the human mouth

The chemical composition of alcoholic beverages plays a crucial role in their flavor, and the interaction with the chemistry of the mouth, particularly saliva, further shapes the sensory experience. Saliva's pH and enzyme activity can affect the chemical balance of the drink, and therefore, the taste and aroma perceived by the taster. This study examined the influence of saliva on the pH and α-amylase activity of alcoholic beverages, through a potentiometer and enzymatic kits respectively, and how this affected their sensory profile, through the performance of a Descriptive Analysis (DA) sensory test. The results showed that the pH values of the drinks were altered after contact with saliva, with brandies showing an increase in pH and wines showing a decrease. Additionally, the α-amylase activity was found to be influenced by the presence of acids, ethanol, and tannins in the drink. These observations suggest that the chemical composition of the drink and the saliva can impact the sensory experience. Further studies can help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this interaction and how it varies across different types of beverages and individuals through sensitive enzyme kits