The present invention concerns a device for the stabilization of wine and other vegetable beverages and the stabilization method thereof. More specifically, the invention concerns a device and a method adapted to remove from wine, beer and other vegetable beverages such as fruit juices, agents responsible for instability, such as proteins and metals.

The international patent application W0201019312 describes a method for reducing turbidity in a liquid containing proteins, which comprises bringing the liquid into contact with an aqueous dispersion of silica microgels with an average diameter of at least 18 nm.

The international patent application W0201019312 describes a method to reduce instability in a liquid containing proteins, which comprises bringing the liquid into contact with an aqueous dispersion of silica microgels with an average diameter of at least 18 nm.

The Chinese patent application CN 107185493 describes the preparation of composite mesoporous carbon microspheres used to purify air, but also teaches that these spheres may be used in oeno!ogy as liquid phase adsorbents.

U.S. Patent US3878310 describes a method for clarifying beverages such as wine, beer and fruit juices, which comprises placing beverages in contact with water-insoluble and water- swellable polymers, such as crosslinked N-vinyllactam and N-alkyl-vinylamide in the form of porous granules or beads.

U.S. Patent US3878310 describes a method for the pre-clarification of wines, beers and fruit juices by removing tannins using insolubilized PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone).

The aforesaid methods of the prior art, as well as others using bentonite or gelatin as adsorbent agents, are carried out in static mode, which means that the adsorbent agents must be removed at the end of the treatment, through decanting and filtration. Once removed, the adsorbent agents may generally not be reused and thus generate a large amount of waste that must be disposed of. Static-mode stabilization treatments may also require a relatively long time, even up to a week.

The European patent application EP01 18990 describes a method for stabilizing wine by using tannic acid or a phenolic compound immobilized on a column. However, this method is only applicable for the prevention of generic instability presumably generated by proteins (which cause turbidity), while the aspects of inhibition of oxidative phenomena and color stabilization achievable through the removal of specific metal oxidation catalysts (mainly Fe, Cu, Mn) are not considered.

In order to overcome these and other drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a device for the stabilization of wine and other vegetable beverages, such as beer and fruit juices, and the stabilization method thereof. The device according to the invention and the stabilization method thereof are as defined in the accompanying independent claims 1 and 6.

The device according to the invention is preferably a continuous flow device.“Continuous flow device ^" means a device capable of operating at a constant flow rate, avoiding the phenomenon of clogging.

The dependent claims, which define further advantageous features of the device and the method of the invention, form an integral part of the present description.

Hereinafter is a detailed description of the device for stabilizing wine and other vegetable beverages according to the invention, as well as the stabilization method thereof, which constitutes a second aspect of the invention.

In the following, wine or other vegetable beverage subjected to stabilization by means of the device of the invention is referred to for brevity as“the beverage”. Figure 1 A is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention. Figure 1 B is a schematic representation in lateral cross-section of a detail of Figure 1 A.

The device illustrated in Figure 1A and I B comprises a tubular container (E) made of an inert material filled internally at least partly with particles made of a support material coated with a layer of mesoporous nanostructured adsorbent material comprising titanium oxide, the aforesaid layer having a thickness of between 10 and 25 pm and the aforesaid mesoporous nanostructured adsorbent material having pores of sizes between 15 and 50 nm, surface area (BET) between 90 and 100 m ² /g and absorbent volume of the pores between 0.4 and 0.5 cnrVg.

The particle size is preferably between 1 and 10 mm.

Suitable inert materials for the construction of the tubular container (E) are, for example, stainless steel, glass or food-grade plastics. The particles of inert material on which the mesoporous nanostructured adsorbent material is supported are, for example, composed of glass spheres or flakes.

In the following description, the mesoporous nanostructured adsorbent material supported on the particles of inert material will at times be referred to as“adsorbent material” for brevity.

This adsorbent material is produced from nanometer-sized nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (for example, particles of 15 to 100 nm in diameter), dispersed in an appropriate solvent (e.g. terpineol) and supported on an organic matrix (for example ethyl cellulose). The concentration of nanoparticles on the organic matrix is appropriately about 15-25% by weight. The product, which looks like a paste, is applied to glass surfaces, properly treated or on which thin intermediate layers have been applied previously, using the“doctor blade” method known per se, which consists of the deposition and application of the paste on the support with the help of glass rods. This method allows thin films of mesoporous material to be obtained characterized by thicknesses on the order of tens of pm. The subsequent sintering method, conducted, for example, in a ventilated furnace with controlled temperature increase up to values between 500 and 600°C, allows the progressive degradation of the organic component and the removal thereof. The resulting structural organization of the nanoparticles and the formation of melting points between the same particles (technically referred to as“sintering necks”) and between the particles and the glass support gives rise to a compact layer of mesoporous material (order of magnitude of the pores: 15-50 nm). The following characteristics have been identified for the mesoporous layer obtained after sintering (range of values observed by applying the “doctor blade” deposition method): thickness = 10-25 pm, surface area (BET) = 90-100 m ² /g and absorbent volume of the pores = 0.40-0.50 cm ³ /g.

The device illustrated in Figures 1 A and I B also comprises, at the two ends of the tubular container (E), respectively an inlet conduit (A) and an outlet conduit (A ^! ) for the beverage to be treated, in fluid communication with the internal volume of the tubular container (E). Appropriately, the inlet conduit (A) and the outlet conduit (A’) allow the device to operate continuously.

At the two ends of the tubular container (E) there are also first and second closure elements (B and B’), adapted to occlude the respective end sections of the same container and prevent the release of the adsorbent material contained therein. The two conduits (A and A’) pass through these closure elements (B and B”). The closure elements (B and B’) may, for example, be of the ferrule or flange type tightened by bolts; in general, they may be of any type known per se.

In the outlet section of the inlet conduit (A) into the tubular container (E), there is positioned a filtering element (D), such as a mesh filter, with pores having dimensions adapted to retain the particles of adsorbent material inside the container. A similar filter element (D') is placed in the inlet section of the outlet conduit (A’) from the tubular container (E).

In the present description,“outlet section” means the inlet section of the fluid from the inlet conduit (A) into the tubular container (A).“Inlet section” means the inlet section of the How from the tubular container (A) to the outlet conduit (A’).

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 A and 1B, there are further respective sealing gaskets (C and C ^' ) applied to the interface between the tubular container (E) and the closure elements (B and B'). The sealing gaskets (C and C’) are, for example, O-rings.

Finally, according to one embodiment, the two conduits (A and A’) are mutually connected in a closed loop. Appropriately, the circulation of the beverage within this closed loop occurs by means of a pump (G) known per se, having dimensions that one skilled in the art is able to define based on the volumes of beverage to be treated and the expected flow rate.

The method for stabilizing wine and other vegetable beverages according to the present invention is based on the adsorption, and thus the removal, of proteins and/or metals from the wine. The method comprises at least one adsorption step wherein the wine or other vegetable beverage containing proteins and/or metals, which are the agents responsible for the instability of the beverage, is made to flow through the device described above in order to obtain the adsorption of the aforesaid agents responsible for instability on the adsorbent material contained in the device and, consequently, their total or partial removal from the beverage.

Optionally, the method of the invention comprises one or more further adsorption steps, wherein the wine or other vegetable beverage is recirculated through the device, so as to obtain greater adsorption of the agents responsible for instability on the adsorbent material contained in the device.

In one embodiment, the stabilization method of the present invention further comprises a step of washing the adsorbent material, which is carried out at the end of one or more cycles of adsoiption or in an intermediate step of the method if the method provides for carrying out multiple adsorption cycles. During the washing step, the adsorbent material is regenerated by running water inside the device, to obtain the cleaning and thus the reactivation of the adsorbent material. In one embodiment, the washing step is carried out by connecting the device to the water supply network. Alternatively, in the case of a treatment intended for the removal of metal species, the regeneration of the adsorbent material is appropriately obtained by the use of a flow of deionized water inside the device.

The following examples demonstrate that the device and the method of the present invention allow advantageously to remove from the treated wine and from other vegetable beverages not only the agents that cause so-called protein instability or turbidity (i.e. so- called '‘pathogenesis-related proteins" generally present in wine in concentrations ranging from a few tens to hundreds of mg/1, which mainly comprise chitinase and thaumatin-like proteins (“TLPs")), but also, in a single treatment, the causative agents of so-called oxidative instability, mainly the transition metals: Cu, Fe, Mn, which act as catalysts determining the color variations observed in wine and in other vegetable beverages after a certain period of time.

A further advantage of the device and of the method of the present invention consists in a substantial reduction of the treatment times and in a clear simplification of the technology, as it is no longer necessary to carry out those operations of decanting and filtration that were instead necessary with the static systems of the prior art.

Last but not least, the device and the method of the present invention allow a reduction in the production of waste, since immobilized adsorbent material is used, which, among other things, may be easily regenerated, thus making several subsequent uses possible.

The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes and do not limit the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

EXAMPLES

Materials and methods

The effectiveness of the adsorbent material and the device of the invention was tested on different varieties of white wines obtained by an industrial process and coming from different wineries, as well as on synthetic wine solutions (composition: tartaric acid 5 g/1, ethanol 12% (v/v) in deionized water, pH 3.6) to which have been added known concentrations of the metals Cu, Fe.

The method of adsorption of compounds such as“PR” type proteins and Cu, Fe metals, in continuous flow conditions, was conducted on a prototype of the device (Figure 2), consisting of: a) glass column filled with mesoporous adsorbent material; b) graduated bottle for containing the wines or synthetic wine solutions; c) volumetric feed pump. The column, the photographic image of which is reproduced in Figure 2, is a glass tube, 75 mm in length, with an internal diameter of 14 mm and a glass wall thickness of 1 mm. The prototype was fed by a volumetric pump with variable power supply in the range of 1.25- 12 Volts, allowing the volumetric flow to be adjusted. This flow has been optimized to obtain a constant flow rate of 1 .28 ml/sec at ambient temperature.

The sintered material was obtained through a treatment in a ventilated furnace equipped with a temperature control and programming system. The programmed temperature ramp provided for a multi-step heating system with an increase in the range: T = ambient - 550°C. The material obtained was analyzed with the SEM/EDX system, in order to obtain an image of the sintering structure, and to verify the absence of contaminants and organic residues. Figure 3 shows SEM images of the sintering structure obtained by heat treatment of 110 ₂ nanoparticles. Based on the specific area characteristics obtained for the sintered material, materials were prepared to provide an active surface of 0.45 m ² , 2.25 m ² , 4.50 nr, 9.00 m ² , 18.00 m ² , respectively, for the treatment of volumes of 50 ml in the different case studies. By way of example, the results are reported of experiments conducted on Chardonnay and Moscato wines and on synthetic wine solutions to which known concentrations of iron and copper ions (Fe ²⁺ : 2 mg/1; Cu ²⁺ : 1 mg/1) were added. The following parameters were measured: protein composition, metal content, phenolic component composition, organic acid composition, stability tests.

The absence of contaminants was also evaluated, and the treated samples were subjected to accelerated aging tests, consisting of heat stress tests to accelerate oxidation (T = 35°C, 5 days ^' exposure), and heat stability tests to determine protein stability (T = 80°C, 30 minutes' exposure and subsequent cooling to ambient T, to assess any side effects due to contact with the adsorbent material.

Results

The experiments carried out on different varieties of white wines demonstrated the stability of oenological quality parameters such as pH (Table 1 ), polyphenol content (Figure 4), organic acid content (Table 2). In particular, Figure 4 shows the concentration of total polyphenols in a white wine - Chardonnay variety, exposed to different quantities of mesoporous Ti02. A modest decrease in polyphenol content (< 4%) was observed only for elevated exposed surfaces (>9.00 m ² ). The results were expressed in mg/I of gallic acid. Significant differences are identified with different letters at 95% confidence level.

Moreover, the mesoporous adsorbent material showed an inhibitory activity (dose- dependent) against oxidation of wines subjected to accelerated aging tests. Figure 5 shows the results of a test wherein Chardonnay variety wine is exposed to different quantities of mesoporous T1O2 and subjected to an accelerated aging test at a temperature of 35°C, in static mode. As the active area increases, a protective effect is observed, as indicated by the decrease in the browning index (O.D. 420 nm). Significant differences are identified with different letters at 95% confidence level.

Table 1 : Verification of pH stability on Chardonnay wine treated in different adsorbent material/wine ratios.

^a lnsignificant differences at a 95% confidence level.

Table 2: Concentration of the main organic acids in the wine, determined with the HPLC method in Chardonnay wine before (control) and after treatment in the device. Insignificant differences at a 95% confidence level.

As far as protein concentration is concerned, the contact of Chardonnay variety wine with mesoporous adsorbent material in static mode produced a decrease in the total protein content, of an amount proportional to the increase in the active surface placed in contact with the wine during treatment: reductions of 4.5% (0.45 m ² /50 ml). 4.5% (2.25 nr/50 ml). 15.3% (4.50 m ² /50 ml), 25.2% (9.00 nr/50 ml), and 42.3% (18.00 nr/50 ml) were observed, respectively. The absence of flow and stirring produced the stabilization of the wine only after a period of 5 days (Figure 6). More specifically, Figure 6 shows the reduction in the concentration of total proteins in Chardonnay variety wine, exposure to mesoporous material in static mode. Significant differences are identified with different letters at 95% confidence level.

The flow stabilization tests were carried out on Moscato variety wine, using an active surface of mesoporous material equal to 18.00 nr/50 ml.

Since the wine was stable to the thermal stress induced by the heat stability test, the SDS- PAGE analysis on the protein components was carried out. The results show that the treatment effectively removed the low molecular weight protein fractions (< 35 MkDa), identified as proteins with a thaumatin-like protein (TLP) structure and responsible for the phenomena of instability (Figure 7). More specifically, Figure 7 shows the SDS-page analysis conducted on Muscat variety wine treated with the device of the invention. Legend: Line 1 - control; Line CTI - wine treated with mesoporous material 18.00 m ² /50 ml wine; Line ST. standard reference. The bands of interest have been highlighted with Coomassie Blue dye.

In conclusion, tests for the removal of metal species capable of catalyzing the oxidative phenomena in beverages of vegetable origin were carried out by applying the treatment in the device to various types of matrices; by way of example, the results of the experiment that involved the treatment of a synthetic wine, to which known concentrations of Cu ²⁺ and Fe ²⁺ ions were added, are reported (Table 3). The results showed a strong adsorbent power of these metals by the mesoporous nanostructured material, with removal of 62.5% of Fe ²⁺ ions and 48% of Cu ²⁺ ions. Table 3: 1CP-OES analysis to verify the concentration of Cu and Fe metals, added in known concentrations to synthetic wine and treated on mesoporous material.