Attitudes towards natural wines among Spanish winemakers: Relationship with environmental awareness

this research pioneers in revealing the complex interplay of ecological awareness, sensory perceptions, and market understanding in shaping Spanish winemakers’ attitudes towards NWs. It underscores the need for further research to bridge the gap in consumer and producer perceptions and to address the current asymmetry of information in the wine market. The study’s limitations include its reliance on convenience sampling, suggesting a need for more comprehensive future research designs.

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Impact on wine sales of removing the largest serving size by the glass

Alcohol consumption is a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality, necessitating public health interventions. This study, approved by the University of Cambridge, explored the impact of reducing wine serving sizes in licensed premises in England. Employing an A-B-A treatment reversal design, the study involved 21 establishments over twelve weeks, alternating between standard and reduced wine serving sizes. The intervention involved removing the largest serving size of wine glasses, and its effects were measured in terms of wine and beverage sales and total revenue. The findings indicated a 7.6% reduction in wine sales volume without affecting the sales of other beverages or overall revenue, suggesting that smaller serving sizes may effectively reduce alcohol consumption. This approach did not lead to an increase in consumption of other alcoholic beverages or changes in revenue, indicating its potential as a public health strategy. The study’s limitations include its focus on wine sales and its limited generalizability due to the specific context and premises involved. Nonetheless, these findings suggest that reducing serving sizes in alcohol sales could be a promising intervention for public health, meriting further research and consideration in policy-making.

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Winemaking: “With One Stone, Two Birds”? A Holistic Review of the Bio-Functional Compounds, Applications and Health Benefits of Wine and Wineries’ By-Products

The paper titled “Winemaking: ‘With One Stone Two Birds’? A Holistic Review of the Bio-Functional Compounds, Applications and Health Benefits of Wine and Wineries’ By-Products” provides a comprehensive review of the health benefits and applications of bio-functional compounds found in wine and by-products of wineries. It explores the nutritional value, bio-functional components, and health-promoting properties of these compounds, particularly their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic effects. The paper also discusses the beneficial effects of moderate wine consumption as part of a balanced diet and examines the potential of wineries’ by-products in developing functional foods, supplements, and nutraceuticals. Limitations and future perspectives of these bioactive compounds are also addressed.

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Vascular and Platelet Effects of Tomato Soffritto Intake in Overweight and Obese Subjects

The paper titled ‘Vascular and Platelet Effects of Tomato Soffritto Intake in Overweight and Obese Subjects’ focuses on the health benefits of tomatoes, specifically in the form of soffritto, a common ingredient in the Mediterranean diet. The study aims to evaluate the effects of soffritto on platelet activity, vascular endothelial function, weight, lipid profile, and blood parameters in overweight and obese individuals. Overall, the study provides insights into the specific health benefits of tomato soffritto intake in overweight and obese subjects, particularly in reducing platelet aggregation, a key factor in cardiovascular disease prevention.

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Responsible Alcohol Consumption: A Call to Action

I decided to write this post after reading an article in the Portuguese newspaper, Expresso, which highlighted the negative health effects and cancer risks associated with the consumption of small amounts of alcohol. It is a personal reflection of a woman, mother, teacher, and scientist based on my perspective on the world and scientific evidence. Discussion about alcohol consumption? Yes, but for there to be results, common sense must prevail.

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Alcohol Labelling: Promoting Consumer Health Awareness?

Ireland introduced legislation on May 22, 2023, requiring alcohol products to carry health warning labels. This aims to inform consumers about alcohol’s health risks. However, the effectiveness of such labels is debated, especially for wine due to its cultural significance, and according to scientific data beliefs in its health benefits may not be easily influenced by these warnings.

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The wine industry by-products: applications for food industry and health benefits

Each year, 20 million tons of wine by-products are generated, corresponding to 30% of the total quantity of vinified grapes. Wine by-products are a source of healthy bioactive molecules, such as polyphenols and other molecules (pigments, fibers, minerals, etc.). The abundance of bioactive compounds assures a promising future for nutritional foodstuff production. Wine by-products can be used to fortify aromatized waters and infusions, bread, pasta, dairy products, alcohol, sugary beverages, and processed foods. These innovative products are part of the Mediterranean Diet and are of great interest to both human and environmental health. Read more that http://science-and-wine.com/

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Improved sustainability in wine industry byproducts: a scale-up and economical feasibility study for high-value compounds extraction using modified SC-CO2

This post summarizes a study carried out with the aim of optimizing the operating conditions and to study the scale-up and the feasibility of the supercritical fluid extraction process for polyphenols from grape pomace, the main solid byproduct of the wine industry. An economic evaluation of the process indicated the feasibility of an industrial SFE plant with a capacity of 500 L for producing in 60 min an extract with an expected phenolics’ concentration of approximately 133 gGAE/kg extract at an estimated 67€ /kgextract cost of manufacturing. Notably, all values are better than those currently reported in the literature

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3rd World Science & Wine: Sustainability of wine production and food systems in the Mediterranean region

As promised, we will maintain the organization of the World Congress every two years. The 3rd World Science & Wine Congress will be from 14 to 16 June 2023 in Vila Nova De Gaia and the Douro region. The topic for this scientific meeting here will be “Sustainability of wine production and food systems in the Mediterranean region”.

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False positive effect of sulfur sources used in growing and processing of vine (Vitis Vinifera L.) leaves on the results of dithiocarbamate analysis based on carbon disulfide measurement

Vine leaves, which are produced fresh, brined or fermented from the leaves of Vitis Vinifera in Türkiye are an important food. Sulfur is used as a pesticide and sulfur compounds can be used as additives during the growing and processing of the vine leaves. These sulfur sources cause positive results on carbon disulfide (CS2) measurements by GC-MS. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of residues of sulfur or sulfur compounds on dithiocarbamate analysis methods based on CS2 measurement.

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