Overview
Topic status: In progress
There is a worldwide demand for a quality low alcohol wine product due to a combination of social pressures such as the desire to lead a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, in recent years the alcohol content of freshly made wines has steadily increased as growers try to impart improved flavours to the wine. Consequently, it is not unusual for wine to have 17 wt% alcohol content. As a result, these wines must firstly be “scalped” to reduce the alcohol content to 14 wt% or less. Conventional methods for production of low alcohol wine have been less than successful with the wine usually tasting terrible. Recently, we have discovered a membrane technique which can selectively remove alcohol from the wine while leaving the majority of the flavour compounds in the wine intact.
Research activities
This project involves the testing of alcohol removal from wine using a flat sheet membrane module. The student will gain experience in not only membrane technology but also a variety of analytical techniques used to characterise wine. The student will also conduct tests on an actual winery site and gain first-hand experience of how the wine industry operates and the challenges it is facing. The student will also interact with Dreamtime Technologies Pty Ltd, a start-up company in Brisbane who have developed the membrane technology for wine applications.
Objectives
The project objectives are to:
- optimise membrane processes for the removal of alcohol from wine
- identify membrane properties critical for alcohol removal
- develop a comprehensive understanding of wine analysis
- gain an insight into the wine industry in Australia.
Duration of project
Up to 8 weeks; specific times can be tailored to the individual needs of the student within the general time period mid-November 2011 to mid-February 2012.
- Study level
- Vacation research experience scholarship
- Supervisors
- QUT
- Organisational unit
Science and Engineering Faculty
- Research area
- Contact
- Please contact the supervisor for enquiries.
Professor Graeme Millar
Dr Sara Couperthwaite
