Applications of nanotechnology in wine production and quality and safety control

Abstract

Nanotechnology is having an impact in several areas of the food industry, including winemaking. The main objective of this chapter was to carefully address the need of winemakers and enologists regarding the current knowledge and perspectives of nanomaterials and nanobiosensors that will have an impact on the raw material and the wine manufacturing process and ensure wine quality and safety. The use of nanomaterials includes the degradation or removal of pollutants in wine and the immobilization or vectorization of yeast. Today, one of the key fields in which nanotechnology is applied is in viticulture and enology, where nanomaterials designed as antimicrobial agents are used. Among these [nano]materials, the use of silver nanoparticles appears to be very attractive/popular in microbial wine control. The development of novel nanosensors is also proving advantageous to wine quality control, safety, and traceability. The most important class of nanomaterial-based sensors used in wine production and quality and safety control is that which includes bioreceptors as recognition elements, i.e., nanobiosensors. Enzyme-based biosensors, immunosensor (antibodies as bioreceptors) or microbial sensors are designed for many uses. The components of interest include polyphenols, glycerol, ethanol, glucose, l-lactic acid, and sulfite as well as potential wine contaminants (pesticides, mycotoxins), among others. Separation methods for wine analysis in which nanomaterials are involved combine a series of benefits, which make them ideally suited for this purpose. Nanotechnology seems to be a promising technology with multiple applications in the wine field; however, several scientific, technological, and legislative obstacles must be overcome to establish real in situ applications of this technology in the wine industry.