In September 2022, I was awarded a European patent for a new process for recovering wine aromas from fermentation gases.
The process promises to be far more efficient than the state-of-the-art, combining the effects of condensation and absorption. It is flexible in terms of scalability and wine style. It also enables planned differentiation of taste profiles and automation of the process.
The process can serve several economic purposes
1) Recovered aromas can be reintroduced into wine to improve its taste (these applications are more likely to be found in fruit wines and distillers' musts due to restrictions imposed by wine legislation).
2) Recovered aromas can also be added to other beverages. Individual selection of flavor components is possible. This is particularly true for dealcoholized wines.
3) If the process is carried out at reduced pressure, more alcohol is evaporated. Aroma recovery can then be used to reduce the alcohol content while ensuring complete protection of the aromas.
4) The ability to recover aromas then enables higher fermentation temperatures, resulting in a faster, more automated fermentation process.
5) The recovery of flavors from the fermentation gas provides a useful by-product in the form of odorless, food-grade carbon dioxide, which can be used in the beverage industry. In May 2023, a peer-reviewed paper on the process was published in the Spanish journal "Revista Enólogos", and in June I was able to present it at the OIV World Congress in Cadiz.
At Saarland University, I was advised to set up a start-up.
