Operation of an Electroporation Device for Grape Mash

In the course of the production of red wine, electroporation of mash enables a fast extraction of the red pigments from the skin without remarkable heating of the mash. For white wine, the formation of pores in the cells fosters, among others, the extraction of flavoring substances. During the harvest in 2008, the electroporation device KEA-WEIN has been operated successfully in two wineries. All together, more than 5 m³ of mash has been treated. During this year´s experiments, some experience in the operation of the electroporation device on-site in a winery has been gained. To facilitate the evaluation of the experimental results, the electroporation device has been equipped with different sensors and measurement systems, e.g., for the power drawn from the grid and the temperature of the mash before and after the electroporation. The data logged during one exemplary run are presented in this paper. Based on the measurements, an estimation about the energy consumption and efficiency of the device has been made. Must and wine made from the grape varieties Pinot Noir and Riesling have been chemically analyzed. Selected data are presented in this paper.