화학공학소재연구정보센터
Journal of Food Engineering, Vol.165, 66-73, 2015
Influence of cork defects in the oxygen ingress through wine stoppers: Insights with X-ray tomography
Cork may sporadically include defects of biological or external origin that will influence the adequacy of cork to specific uses and the performance of cork products, namely of wine stoppers. The present work evaluates cork defects in relation to the oxygen ingress to the bottle through wine stoppers. The characterization of defects is made by image analysis of the cork stopper's surface. Non-destructive observation by X-ray tomography allowed the observation and identification of the internal defects. The performance was followed by studying the kinetics of oxygen ingress into the bottles during 12 months using a non-destructive colorimetric method. There is a common logarithmic behaviour of oxygen ingress with time. Insect galleries have a major influence on the oxygen ingress rate. The results may be applied to selection of quality key features and contribute to value enhancement of natural cork stoppers and to their qualified use in wine ageing. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.