The Application of the Electronic Tongue for the Assessment of White Wine Quality

Rachel Potter

doi:10.7273/000005377

As the global market for wine continues to grow, there is a need for high-quality wine. The electronic tongue (e-tongue) provides a unique opportunity as a method for the detection of wine faults as it provides a holistic approach to wine analysis. The objective of this research was to assess the capabilities of the e-tongue to track the progression of wine faults in white wines. To further assess the use of the e-tongue for the detection of wine faults, two studies were conducted. In the first study, the application of the e-tongue to track oxidation in white wine was conducted. A study was completed in which Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay wines were stored at 19°C for 15 days with excess headspace, and assessed daily using the e-tongue, a difference from control sensory panel, and by measuring the browning index. The results from this study found that the e-tongue could detect changes in the wines after one day of storage, prior to the time point at which significant sensory differences began (day 2) or before the browning index increased significantly (day 10). Given these results, a longer oxidation study was conducted in which bottles of Chardonnay wines were stored partially unscrewed at 2.2°C for 24 weeks, and assessed at t = 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks using a trained rate-all-that-apply (RATA) panel and the e-tongue. The e-tongue detected changes in Chardonnay wine stored at 2.2°C for 24 weeks stored partially unscrewed compared to control wine beginning on week 8 of storage. This was prior to week 16, the time point at which a trained sensory panel detected significant increases in oxidative spoilage aroma attribute vinegar/nail polish remover. The second study aimed to assess the use of the e-tongue for the early detection of microbial spoilage in Riesling wine. Riesling wines were inoculated with cultures of Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Lactobacillus brevis, Pediococcus parvulus, or Acetobcater aceti and stored at 22.3˚C for 42 days. This study found that the e-tongue could detect changes in wines inoculated with these cultures with high certainty (discrimination index > 80) beginning on day 7 of storage. These changes were also accompanied by significant changes in glucose, fructose, ethanol, malic acid, or acetic acid for all wine treatments. Additionally, at week 4 of storage, wines treated with W. anomalus had significantly higher intensities of mousy (p = 0.003) and butter aromas (p = 0.002). On week 6 of storage, wines treated with L. brevis displayed significantly higher intensities of mousy (p = 0.042) and vinegar/nail polish remover aromas (p = 0.004). Overall, this research provides insight into the use of the e-tongue for white wine analysis, a topic with little research.

The Application of the Electronic Tongue for the Assessment of White Wine Quality

Files and links (1)

Abstract

Metrics

Details