St. Helena, Calif. -- A new technology developed by G3 Enterprises of Modesto can remove TCA and related contaminants from wine as easily as sterile filtering, using existing winery equipment.
While removing TCA from wine, Fibrafix TX-R filters introduce lower levels of trace contaminants than do some other filtering materials.
The technology was developed by G3, a company owned by members of the Gallo family, initially in attempts to remove TCA from natural corks, but the company's researchers quickly realized the potential and turned to filter maker Filtrox to create a commercial product. That process has resulted in filter modules and sheets that can be used to remove TCA in one pass. The new filter sheets typically cost about $35 apiece, compared to the $1.50 of similar-sized 40 x 40 centimeter standard filter sheets, according to Greg Heyes, whose company Heyes Filters distributes the new product on the West Coast.
In screening tests conducted in wine, the filters, trademarked as Fibrafix TX-R, removed TCA with no significant change in other sensory properties of the wine.
The basic ingredient involved is inorganic sodium aluminosilicate, a white powder that binds three similar compounds that cause cork taint and cellar taint, 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (TCA), 2,4,6-Tribromoanisole (TBA) and 2,3,4,6-Tetrachloroanisole (TeCA).
G3 developed the specific pore size and structure for capturing TCA, and has trademarked the material under the Triex brand. The company publicly introduced Fibrafix TX-R yesterday at its first G3 Lab Services Seminar at the Louis M. Martini Winery.
The project is aimed at the wine industry, though TCA is also found in many other foods. G3 says Fibrafix TX-R is safe for food contact and is generally accepted as safe (GRAS) for wine treatment by the Food and Drug Administration.
Other treatment methods sometimes employed include polyethylene, milk products and mustard seeds. According to G3, all of these distort the flavors of the wine, while this new treatment only modifies certain flavor components. G3's John Cunningham, who spearheaded the research, says they recover with time.
The laboratory has conducted significant analytical and sensory testing of the product. Testing has been performed by G3, independent wineries, and at least one major university in Europe, whose identity Cunningham would not reveal pending publication of research details. Their data show that the TCA is quickly removed, while good aromas and flavors are minimally affected.
The filters introduce lower levels of trace contaminants than do some other filtering materials. They resulted in less than 0.25 mg/Kg of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, silver or zinc, and less than 0.5 mg/Kg mercury and 0.55 selenium, while bentonite filtering adds large amounts of iron (more than 1000 mg/Kg) and small levels of arsenic, lead and zinc. Fibrafix TX-R was equivalent or slightly better than diatomaceous earth and perlite, according to G3.
Filtrox recommends a flow rate of 350 l/m
2 per hour for the filters. As they have a 0.45 micron pore, the company suggests filtering wines first with a conventional, less-expensive filter medium rather than clogging up the TCA filter.
A filter can typically continue to remove TCA from a red or white wine containing 20 ppm TCA to a level below 0.5 ng/l for 2,000 liters per square meter of filter area. TCA is generally detected as a moldy smell at levels above 5 ppm, and can cause more subtle degradation even at levels of 1 to 2 ppm.
Fibrafix TX-R filters are available as sheets, capsules and lenticular modules.
Filtrox is based in Switzerland. Its website is
filtrox.ch. Filtrox North America is at 9805 N.E. 116th St., PMB A-200, Kirkland, WA 98034. The phone number is (425) 820 4850 and fax (425) 820 2816.
