This Q and A article is an ‘ask the expert’ interview with FOSS senior scientist, Philipp Zielke, and Technical Product Management Director for wine, meat, and beer at FOSS, Søren Thiis Heide.
How do the FOSS WineScan™ 3 and WineScan 3 SO₂ analysers work?
Philipp: The FOSS WineScan 3 is our best analyser yet, which has three dedicated measurement modules that can be used to test must, must under fermentation and wine samples with minimal preparation. The main module uses Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technology. Infrared light is shone through the sample, and through mathematical modelling and spectrum analysis, the different values of the sample are determined based on how much infrared light is absorbed. The technology allows us to quickly identify which molecules are present in the sample and in what amounts.
In addition, if you purchase the SO₂ add on, you can then also measure the free and total sulphite levels in samples. It’s something that can be bought and added onto the device at a later date if required. This gives our users the flexibility to decide it would be a useful addition. They’re free to configure their machine to their specific needs.
Another interesting add-on is our colour detection module, which can detect how much red, green, and blue light is absorbed by the sample, so that users can find out the colour intensity, tone and hue of their wine, which is useful when you’re seeking consistency in the wines that you make.
What’s different about the WineScan 3 compared to older models?
Søren: The most ingenious thing about the WineScan 3 is its flow system and the overall design of the instrument, which takes the WineScan to the next level. We’ve improved a lot of things – it’s a very big step forward. The high throughput flow system and autosampler get more tests done in less time. Everything from sample handling to liquid measuring is done in a faster and more efficient way. The system is filled with sensors, making it smarter and more predictive, so it’s easier than ever to use. Every test result is based on 40 subsamples, capturing data from a larger sample volume compared to earlier models, which avoids the need for replicate measurements to confirm the validity of results.
It adjusts itself for wear at regular intervals, and will even alert you if there’s a problem, so it takes the worry out of our customers’ hands. It has also been updated so users don’t need to perform monthly standardization checks with reagents (stabilization liquids), making it less costly and more efficient over time, as it’s all integrated into the flow of the machine and done automatically.
In what ways are the WineScan 3 and WineScan 3 SO₂ game-changers when it comes to analytics?
Philipp: We’ve taken a lot of the unnecessary workload away from the user. All they need to do is put the sample in, press a button and the machine does all the hard work for you, producing data that you can rely on. There’s nothing else quite like it, especially when it comes to measuring SO₂. In the past, you’d need an experienced technician to do this, but the WineScan 3 has changed the game as no prior knowledge required. You just need to know which button to press and it will do the work for you.
The analyser is also very low maintenance – it keeps itself clean and is smart enough to tell you when something is wrong. It essentially brings the laboratory into the winery. You don’t need to know anything about chemistry to use it as it’s all done in the instrument.
What different parameters can you measure with the WineScan 3?
Philipp: It’s our most advanced analyser to date covering over 30 key quality control parameters, including citric acid, CO2, ethanol, fructose, glucose, lactic and malic acid, pH, polyphenols and volatile acidity. We’ve worked hard on speeding up the sampling process, so you can now measure for free and total SO₂ levels in two minutes, shaving off 30 seconds from our older models. Samples can be tested for multiple parameters at the same time. The autosampler can process 130 samples an hour, while the SO₂ function can process 27 samples per hour.
Who are the WineScan 3 and WineScan 3 SO₂ aimed at?
Søren: We’re targeting wine labs and wineries, which are our core customers. We’ve worked hard on improving the usability of this machine, so it’s our most accessible analyser to hit the market, making it an option for a wider range of clients, who don’t need to have a high level of scientific knowledge to use it. Some of our customers were a bit afraid of using our older models, but we’ve had excellent feedback about how easy the WineScan 3 is to use and how quickly you can get to grips with it. People feel confident about working it, and safe using it. It has a touch screen and dual interface and has been designed in such a way that the software is very intuitive and easy to operate – it’s more like an iPad than a complicated calculator.
How does the WineScan 3 help winemakers in their pursuit of precision?
Søren: It helps give them the most accurate and up-to-date information during the whole wine cycle, from must samples to the finished product, allowing them to make more informed decisions on things like picking dates. If you’re a larger winery with 80 fermentation tanks and 20,000 barrels in the cellar, and 100 wine growers coming in with grapes, having a WineScan 3 makes it a lot easier to carry out immediate sample checks that are less expensive in the long-run than going through a lab. It requires an upfront investment, but having the machine allows winemakers to go to the cellar, grab a sample from the tank, measure it, and get a result instantly, allowing them to take action straight away if needed.
How exactly does the WineScan 3 measure SO₂?
Philipp: We’ve made some changes to the way we measure SO₂, and it’s quite a unique proposition. It can measure both free and total SO₂ in a single sample. We do this by bringing the well-known aeration-oxidation method, which is the standard method recognized by the OIV, from the chemistry lab and into the WineScan 3, automating, miniaturizing, and accelerating it significantly. The SO₂ from the sample is released as a gas by mixing with phosphoric acid and heating it up, which allows us to measure the SO₂ levels based on how much ultraviolet light is absorbed by the sample. We use mathematical models to calculate the free and total values of SO₂ from the measured concentration over time.
And it can also measure yeast assumable nitrogen?
Philipp: Yes! All organisms need nitrogen for growth, and yeast is no exception, so it’s an important thing to test for during the winemaking process. We do this using our infrared technology, giving winemakers an accurate picture of their nitrogen levels. If they’re too low, then the yeast won’t grow during the fermentation process, so having that knowledge helps winemakers to make the necessary adjustments. It’s best to start testing for it at the must stage to make sure there’s enough available nitrogen, as prevention is better than cure. If levels are low, then winemakers can supplement the must with diammonium phosphate.
The WineScan 3 can also measure tannins – how does it do that?
Philipp: With the WineScan 3 we’ve introduced two tannin measurement parameters – a bovine serum albumin model (BSA) – a protein found in cow’s blood – and a methylcellulose precipitable model (MCP). MCP and BSA are precipitation methods from the chemistry lab, thus separating the wine’s tannins by bovine serum albumin (a standard in America) or methylcellulose (a standard in Australia). Both capture the tannins by binding them, allowing extraction and measurement.
We collaborated with the University of Bordeaux within a PhD project and discovered that there’s a good correlation between the infrared spectrum and these two parameters. With our new models, our customers can get their results from the infrared data instead of a complex lab procedure.
Can you tell me about the calibration data the WineScan 3 is built upon?
Søren: The calibration data is all the data we’ve collected since 1999. Every time we measure a sample and it has a reference from accredited labs, for example, in France, Italy, or Germany. When a sample is analyzed, our analytics package will give the values based on all the data we’ve accrued from over 255,000 wine samples from around the world, which makes the model extremely robust. It’s what differentiates us from our competitors, as the more diverse data that the models are based on, the better they perform.
To find out more about the WineScan™ 3 and WineScan 3 SO₂, and how it can help you gain more control over the winemaking process, click here.
