Effect of Process Parameters on Partial Dealcoholizationof Wine by Osmotic Distillation

The effectiveness of the osmotic distillation process for partial dealcoholization of wine was investigated in this work. The dealcoholization process was performed using a hollow fibre membrane module and process parameters, such as hydrodynamic conditions, number of cycles, temperature and ethanol content of feed solution were investigated. Then the partial dealcoholization of Aglianico red wine was carried out up to 2 %vol and the chemicophysical properties evaluated and compared with the initial wine. No significant differences (p<0.05) in total volatile acidity, colour, total polyphenols and organic acids content, between Aglianico and dealcoholized wine were found. Empirical correlations available in the literature for calculation of ethanol mass transfer coefficient seems able to describe with reasonable agreement the effect of operating conditions of the dealcoholization process.