Red wine has long been known for its health benefits, primarily due to its high content of phenolic compounds, which act as powerful antioxidants. These compounds can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, have anti-inflammatory properties, and may act as anticancer agents. However, ethanol, which is present in wine, can be detrimental to health, as excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of liver disease, certain types of cancer, and other health issues.
In this master's thesis, we determined five phenolic compounds: gallic acid, quercetin, resveratrol, caffeine acid, and epicatechin. We analyzed these compounds in both wine samples and in solid dispersions that we made by drying wines in combination with α-cyclodextrin. The solid dispersions were produced using a spray drying method. Our analysis included both Slovenian and foreign wines. The determination of phenolic compounds was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a DAD detector.
The results showed that we detected all five phenolic compounds in almost all samples. The best Slovenian wines were identified as Merlot from Vina Koper and Vipava producers, while the best foreign wine was Stobi: Pinot Noir. We then compared potential losses of antioxidants between the wine and the solid dispersions and obtained mixed results. Differences in the concentrations of phenolic compounds depended on various factors, resulting in both increases and decreases in antioxidant content in some cases. In general, the antioxidant content decreased by 20 %.
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