Study and Development of a Fluorescence Based Sensor System for Monitoring Oxygen in Wine Production: The WOW Project

Abstract

The importance of oxygen in the winemaking process is widely known, as it affects the chemical aspects and therefore the organoleptic characteristics of the final product. Hence, it is evident the usefulness of a continuous and real-time measurements of the levels of oxygen in the various stages of the winemaking process, both for monitoring and for control. The WOW project (Deployment of WSAN technology for monitoring Oxygen in Wine products) has focused on the design and the development of an innovative device for monitoring the oxygen levels in wine. This system is based on the use of an optical fiber to measure the luminescent lifetime variation of a reference metal/porphyrin complex, which decays in presence of oxygen. The developed technology results in a high sensitivity and low cost sensor head that can be employed for measuring the dissolved oxygen levels at several points inside a wine fermentation or aging tank. This system can be complemented with dynamic modeling techniques to provide predictive behavior of the nutrient evolution in space and time given few sampled measuring points, for both process monitoring and control purposes. The experimental validation of the technology has been first performed in a controlled laboratory setup to attain calibration and study sensitivity with respect to different photo-luminescent compounds and alcoholic or non-alcoholic solutions, and then in an actual case study during a measurement campaign at a renown Italian winery.

Review of Dissolved Oxygen Detection Technology: From Laboratory Analysis to Online Intelligent Detection

“…Electrochemical detection is the most widely used method, within which the polarographic dissolved oxygen sensor is the most common application. This method has a relatively high detection speed, but its detection process consumes oxygen, and sensors based on this principle need to be calibrated and maintained regularly [16]; thus, long-term in situ measurements cannot be realized. The optical dissolved oxygen sensor based on the fluorescence quenching principle is convenient to realize sensor miniaturization [17], does not consume oxygen, and has a high anti-interference ability [18].…”

Impact of Different Stoppers on the Composition of Red and Rosé Lagrein, Schiava (Vernatsch) and Merlot Wines Stored in Bottle

“…Determining the oxygen dissolved in wine before bottling has been the objective of extensive research [ 14 ]. While it is relatively easy to control the oxygen incorporation in tanks and vats during fermentation with a real-time approach [ 15 , 16 ], the non-destructive monitoring of oxygen transfer during bottle storage for the comparison of different types of stoppers still remains a challenge [ 17 ]. Several aspects should be taken into consideration: Air can enter a bottle through the interface between the stopper and the bottleneck.…”

Oxygen Consumption by Red Wines under Different Micro-Oxygenation Strategies and Q. Pyrenaica Chips. Effects on Color and Phenolic Characteristics

“…Oxygen has a fundamental role in wine technology [1]. It plays an important role in the different processes that take place during wine-making and aging [2][3][4][5][6]. Oak barrel aging is traditionally used in wine-making to produce high quality wines, since the contact between wine and oxygen in the oak barrels influences its composition.…”