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The content of selected phenolic compounds including resveratrol (trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) and its cis-isomer and glucosides (piceides) were monitored in grape (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Corvina) berry skin during ripening in the vineyard and in response to the post-harvest drying process (wilting). Four wilting conditions were compared (traditional, mixed, low-temperature, and high-temperature) to verify the eliciting effect of drying on resveratrol production. During fruit ripening the cis-piceid was the major stilbene found in berry skins, and a weak accumulation of stilbene synthase (STS) mRNA was observed, whereas UV-light irradiation greatly stimulated STS transcript of unripe berries. A time-course experiment showed the highest STS mRNA accumulation and resveratrol content (34 microg/g fresh weight at 58 days) occurring in berry skins in a mixed wilting process.

The presence in wine of the fungal metabolite, ochratoxin A (OTA), represents a serious risk for consumer health. A variety of fining agents, including activated carbon, silica gel, potassium caseinate, egg albumin, and gelatin, was evaluated in relation to their abilities to remove OTA in fortified wines. Freundlich adsorption isotherms were used to model the adsorption behavior between ochratoxin A and the fining agent. Potassium caseinate and activated carbon were found to be the best fining agents that could be used to remove OTA in wine. Potassium caseinate removed up to 82% of OTA when used at 150 g/hL, whereas activated carbon showed the highest specific adsorption capacity due to a high surface area per mass and low adsorption of total polyphenols.