Preliminary lab scale of advanced techniques as new tools to reduce ethylphenols content in synthetic wine

Effects of low electric current (LEC) and/or activity of laccase from Trametes versicolor on 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylphenol and their phenolic precursors (ferulic and p-coumaric acids) were investigated by working in small volumes of synthetic wine and with multiple tests. Above ethylphenols are produced by Brettanomyces/Dekkera sp.yeast and are associated with a serious taste defect in wine, known as ‘brett character’. Both techniques have produced a significant reduction of all phenolic compounds. Specifically, concentration of 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylphenol was approximately 32 percent reduced as result of application of electric current (200 mA for 20 min). In comparison, after an incubation at environmental temperature for 20 min, laccase has produced a reduction of 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylphenol by 55.3 and 44.1 percent,respectively. Finally, by applying together both two techniques (LEC and laccase) ethylphenols and their precursors were almost degraded completely.