Roles of proteins, polysaccharides, and phenolics in haze formation in white wine via reconstitution experiments

J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Oct 24;60(42):10666-73. doi: 10.1021/jf302916n. Epub 2012 Oct 11.

Abstract

Residual proteins in finished wines can aggregate to form haze. To obtain insights into the mechanism of protein haze formation, a reconstitution approach was used to study the heat-induced aggregation behavior of purified wine proteins. A chitinase, four thaumatin-like protein (TLP) isoforms, phenolics, and polysaccharides were isolated from a Chardonnay wine. The same wine was stripped of these compounds and used as a base to reconstitute each of the proteins alone or in combination with the isolated phenolics and/or polysaccharides. After a heating and cooling cycle (70 °C for 1 h and 25 °C for 15 h), the size and concentration of the aggregates formed were measured by scanning ion occlusion sensing (SIOS), a technique to detect and quantify nanoparticles. The chitinase was the protein most prone to aggregate and the one that formed the largest particles; phenolics and polysaccharides did not have a significant impact on its aggregation behavior. TLP isoforms varied in susceptibility to haze formation and in interactions with polysaccharides and phenolics. The work establishes SIOS as a useful method for studying wine haze.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Phenols / analysis*
  • Polysaccharides / analysis*
  • Proteins / analysis*
  • Temperature
  • Wine / analysis*

Substances

  • Phenols
  • Polysaccharides
  • Proteins