A New Test of Filterability for Unprocessed Wines Evaluation of the Enzyme Efficiency

Abstract

A new Test of Filterability has been developed. Measurements carried out with different types of wines indicate that the new filterability index is a useful tool for understanding and predicting the propensity to fouling of treated or untreated wines, e.g. with or without enzyme addition. The measurement method used in the Test of Filterability, requires only one type of membrane for all types of wine, and uses the same equipment as the traditional Fouling Index. Numerous trials have demonstrated that the filtration of wines is governed by standard blocking law. The definition of the new Test of Filterability, based on this filtration law, is proposed. The choice of membrane and the selection of the optimal pore size were based on the results of the experiments. Current methods used for the determination of fouling properties in wine filtration have been developed for the membrane filtration of small quantities of suspended matter. Enzyme treatment is a process often used in wine clarification. The new Test of Filterability indicates the best conditions for the filtration of all types of wines. The test is easy to implement and has been validated with various wines. This new Test of Filterability is an important tool for winemakers as it constitutes a simplified test of a wine's filterability. The new test may also be used to determine the filtration process that is best adapted to each wine while reducing the number of operations. The same approach may be adopted for the filtration of other liquids.