EVALUATION OF NITRATES IN ALBANIAN WINES

Nitrates are important compounds in nature but not desirable if they are present in wine at increased amount. The high level of nitrate is attributed to the use of nitrogen fertilizers in the vineyards. Method of the reactive Gries I and Gries II was used for the determination of nitrates in wine. There were analyzed 45 white wines and 55 red wines produced in 2008 – 2010, as well as wines produced from Albanian grape varieties Shesh i Bardhë and Shesh i Zi in 2009 and 2010, as an authentic wines evidence with denominated origin. From the results of analyses was observed that, in 51 % of white wines was found that the content of nitrates were less than 5 mg/l, in 46% of them the nitrates level goes up to 10 mg/l and only in 3 % of them the amount of nitrates is up to 12 mg/l. None of white wine samples have the content of nitrates over 20 mg/l. In this case there is no doubt for water addition during wine preparation. In regards of red wines, in 34% of them the amount of nitrates is up to 5 mg/l, in 30% of them up to 10 mg/l, while in 26% of them the amount of nitrates is 20 mg/l. Only 10 % of red wines have nitrates content over 20 mg/l which raise dubiety for falsified wines where water and sugar is added in the red marc. The level of nitrates in wines with denominated origin was under 20 mg/L