A New Simplified Method for Measuring the Color of Wines. I. Red and Rosé Wines

F. Ayala, J. F. Echávarri, and A. I. Negueruela

A new method for calculating the color coordinates of red and rosé wines is presented. Characteristic vector analysis has been applied to the transmittance spectra of 690 wines. This method allows the reconstitution of the transmittance spectra of all the wines used from the mean vector and three characteristic vectors. Expressions for tristimulus values are obtained as function of transmittance measurements at three wavelengths. The color of each wine has been calculated based on these results. Color differences between these results and those obtained by application of the CIE method to experimentally measured spectra are smaller than differences between the results obtained making use of the recommended OIV method and the aforementioned CIE method.

 

A New Simplified Method for Measuring the Color of Wines. II. White Wines and Brandies

F. Ayala, J. F. Echávarri, and A. I. Negueruela

This paper studies a new method to calculate color coordinates of white wines and brandies. Transmittance spectra of 350 samples have been subjected to characteristic vectors analysis. This method enables us to reconstitute the transmittance spectra of the whole set of wines from the mean vector and three characteristic vectors. Expressions for the tristimulus values are derived from these results as functions of the transmittance values measured at 440, 540, and 610 nm. Color of each wine was calculated from the tristimulus values. The results obtained are better than results obtained by means of the OIV method in comparison with the 40 measurements CIE method.

 

A New Simplified Method for Measuring the Color of Wines. III. All Wines and Brandies

F. Ayala, J. F. Echávarri, and A. I. Negueruela

A simplified method to calculate color coordinates of any red, rosé, or white wine or any brandy is studied in this paper. As in the previous papers, this method makes possible the reconstitution of the transmittance spectrum of any wine or brandy from a mean vector and three characteristic vectors, and expressions for the tristimulus values can be obtained as functions of transmittance values at only three wavelengths, 440,530, and 600 nm. The color of each wine and brandy is calculated from these tristimulus values. Spectra of 1614 wines and brandies have been used in characteristic vector analysis, 959 in statistical calculations, and 655 for verifying the results. These results are similar than those obtained in Parts I and II.

 

Influence of measuring interval on calculation of the colour coordinates of wine

J. F. Echávarri, F. Ayala, and A. I. Negueruela

According to the data capture capacity of measuring apparatuses, the determining of colorimetric parameters can be carried out with differing measure spaces. It would therefore appear to be necessary to understand how this effects the results.

The CIE recommends conducting colorimetric calculations with an interval Dl  of 1 nm on a measuring field going from 360 to 830 nm but specifies that, in most practical cases, an interval of 380-780 nm and a measuring space of 5 nm are acceptable.

 The colorimetric coordinates of wine are compared in this paper calculated between 380 and 780 nm, the field of most spectrophotometers, and between 400 and 700 nm the field which is used by several spectrocolorimeters. The measure spaces are: 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 nm.

The results obtained are similar in all cases.

 

Simplified measurement of virgin olive oil color by application of the characteristic vector method.

Moyano, MŞ J., Ayala, F., Echávarri, J.F., Alba, J., NegueruelaA.I. and Heredia, F.J.

There are several simplified methods to measure the color of virgin olive oils. However, their reliability is questionable as they provide errors, that sometimes can be considerable. With the aim of overcoming these objections, a new method to calculate colour coordinates and objective chromatic parameters in the colour region of these olive oils is proposed. The method is a simplification of the original method proposed by the Commission International de l’Eclairage, based on the measurement of the complete visible spectrum, from 380 to 770 nm. New equations to calculate tristimulus values as functions of these transmittance values are proposed based on an acute reconstruction of oil transmission spectra from measurements at 3 to 6 wavelengths, provided by the characteristic vector analysis. The results show that colour differences, between the colour coordinates of the experimental samples and those obtained by means of proposed method, are smaller than three CIELAB units for more than ninety percent of the samples, when equations based in four or more wavelengths are used.

 

Influence of packaging films on microbiological and sensorial evolution of minimally processed borage (borago officinalis)

Giménez M., C. Olarte, S. Sanz, C. Lomas, J.F. Echávarri, F. Ayala

The atmospheres prevalent in borage packaged in 5 different films, together with different water-vapor permeabilities of the films, determined the evolution of the visual and microbiological quality of borage. PVC films proved inadequate to extend the sensory quality since the samples packaged with the films were spoiled on day 9, whereas among the P-Plus films, the least permeable film was the most adequate to extend the sensory quality of borage until day 15. For most of the treatments, no correlation between the microbial growth and changes in appearance was found. Thus, some treatments with a fair sensory evaluation had microbial counts higher than those allowed by the European legislation.

 

Relation between spoilage and microbiological quality in minimally processed artichoke packaged with different films

M. Giménez, C. Olarte, S. Sanz, C. Lomas, J. F. Echávarri and F. Ayala

The atmosphere surrounding minimally processed vegetables is extremely important to extend their shelf-life, and one of the most influential factors on its composition is the permeability of the film used in the packaging. This study determined the impact of the preservation technologies on sensory quality (weight losses, color, texture and sensory acceptability) and on the growth of indicator micro-organisms (mesophiles, psychrotrophs, anaerobic micro-organisms, sporeformers, faecal coliforms, Salmonella and Escherichia coli) in minimally processed artichoke packaged with five different films (two PVC and three P-Plus).

The atmospheres obtained, together with the different permeability to water vapor of the films under study, determined the evolution of the visual and microbiological quality of the artichoke.

For most of the batches, no correspondence was found between microbial growth and changes in appearance. Those batches where the equilibrium atmosphere was clearly anaerobic showed microbial counts below the legally established microbiological limits but also showed a rapid loss of sensory quality. On the other hand, some batches with an acceptable sensory evaluation had microbial counts higher than those allowed by the legislation. This last situation is particularly dangerous from a health point of view since it allows the growth of micro-organisms (even pathogens) although the product may seem to be acceptable for consumption.

This lack of correspondence constitutes an important point to be attended to on the microbiological safety of these foods, since the preservation technologies applied allow the prolonging of their sensory characteristics but, at the same time, may favour the growth of micro-organisms.

 

Proposal for a New Standard OIV Method for Determination of Chromatic Characteristics of Wine

Valentín Pérez-Caballero, Fernando Ayala, J. Federico Echávarri, and Angel I. Negueruela

Recent work on simplified methods to determine chromatic characteristics of wine uses transmittance measurements at three wavelengths, thus improving the results of the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin reference method compared to the CIE method. These simplified methods still pose some problems for wines with a low lightness; consequently, a simplified method that uses four wavelengths instead of three is proposed. The errors in the determination of the colorimetric coordinates are less than 2.5 CIELAB units of color difference in 1840 samples from the 1841 wines and brandies under study. This method is proposed as a substitute for the current OIV method for the determination of the chromatic characteristics of wine, which has been under review since 1992.

 

Effects of packaging atmosphere on color evolution of minimally processed artichoke

S. Sanz, F. Ayala, C. Olarte, J.F. Echávarri, M. Giménez

The atmosphere surrounding minimally processed vegetables is extremely important to extend their shelf life, and one of the most influential factors on its composition is the permeability of the film used in the packaging. This study determined the impact of the preservation technologies on sensory quality (color, and sensory acceptability). The atmospheres obtained, together with the different permeability to water vapor of the films under study, determined the evolution of the visual quality of the artichoke.

 

Use of three tristimulus values from surface reflectance spectra to calculate the principal components to reconstruct these spectra by using only three eigenvectors

Fernando Ayala, José F. Echávarri, Pilar Renet, and Angel I. Negueruela

The division of Color Space into ten zones, corresponding to the ten Munsell hues, allows a good reconstruction of surface reflectance spectra using just three eigenvectors, obtained by applying principal components analysis to the reflectance spectra of the Munsell Atlas specimens (model group), although the basis vectors obtained are different for each subspace. The use of the tristimulus values from each measured spectrum, calculated with the Illuminant D65 and the Standard Observer CIE64 to obtain the principal components necessary to reconstruct the spectrum, allows a very high degree of metamerism to be attained between the two spectra (measured and reconstructed). Furthermore, this method of calculating the principal components allows reconstruction of the spectra of specimens from other sample sets that differ from the model group used in the PCA. The colorimetric accuracy obtained in the new sample sets is similar to that obtained for the model group.

 

Evaluation of different varieties of cauliflower for minimal processing

Susana Sanz, Carmen Olarte, J Federico Echávarri, Fernando Ayala

The impact of minimal processing technology on the sensory quality and the growth of micro-organisms in eight varieties of cauliflower packaged in four different films (one PVC and three P-Plus) was measured and quantified during more than 25 days of storage at 4 °C. Other important parameters such as weight loss and gas concentration in the packages were also determined. The composition of the atmosphere in the packages of minimally processed cauliflower depended on both the permeability of the film used for the packaging and the variety of cauliflower. When establishing shelf-life, loss of sensory quality was the deciding factor rather than loss of microbiological quality. The initial microbial load proved more important than the composition of the atmosphere inside the packages. In sensory evaluation the most important aspect was colour. In instrumental evaluation, coordinate b* was the main means of estimating shelf-life. The combination of P-Plus 120 film and varieties of cauliflower of large size and great vigour allowed the atmosphere inside the packages to have an O2 level below 10% and a CO2 level above 10%. That atmosphere composition proved essential for maintaining the sensory quality of minimally processed cauliflower. In these conditions, samples attained a shelf-life of more than 25 days. However, the different behaviours of the cauliflower varieties make it necessary to establish particular packaging conditions. The use of less permeable films than those used in this study, or the use of actively modified atmospheres, could be an alternative for those varieties that require special packaging conditions when processed using this technology.

 

Simplified method for calculating colour of honey by application of the characteristic vector method

M. Lourdes González-Miret, Fernando Ayala, Anass Terrab, J. Federico Echávarri, A. Ignacio Negueruela and Francisco J. Heredia

A quick and simple method to obtain the colour of honeys with minimum error is proposed. Characteristic vector analysis has been tested and proved to be applicable to the reconstruction of honey reflectance spectra. Expressions for tristimulus values are obtained as function of reflectance measurements at a few wavelengths. Different sets of reflectance were tested (from 3 to 6 wavelengths) showing better results as the number of characteristic vectors (wavelengths) increases. The measures were made both over white and over black backing. Results showed that, when spectrophotometric measurements are made with 10 mm pathlength cells, the determination of reflectance at four wavelengths (443, 530, 554, and 618 nm for white backing; 439, 488, 555 and 636 nm for black backing) is adequate to reconstruct the spectrum and to obtain the tristimulus chromatic characteristics. The black backing measurements showed better results, being 74% and 57% (black and white backing measurements, respectively) the percentage of samples giving colour differences less than 1 CIELAB unit between the calculated coordinates and those obtained from the whole visible spectra.

 

Influence of exposure to light on the sensorial quality of minimally processed cauliflower.

S. Sanz Cervera, C. Olarte, J. F. Echávarri, F. Ayala

The impact of lighting on minimally processed cauliflower packaged in 4 different film types (PVC and 3 P-Plus) has been measured and quantified. The effect on the sensorial quality of storage at 4 degrees C in darkness and partial or continuous lighting was evaluated. The gas concentrations in the packages and the weight losses were also determined. Atmosphere composition inside the packages depended on both the permeability of the film used for the packaging and exposure to light. Samples stored with lighting maintained the gaseous exchange between plant tissue and the atmosphere inside the packages for longer periods than in samples kept in darkness. This prompted a greater loss of water vapor as well as the development of atmospheres with low levels of O2 and high levels of CO2 in the samples packed with less permeable films. The most important aspect in sensory evaluation was color. In instrumental color evaluation, coordinates h* and L* were the main means for estimating color evolution. The presence of light accelerated browning in the cut zones. The development of abnormal coloring in these areas marked the end of shelf life for minimally processed cauliflower. Among the sensory attributes studied, color was the most affected by exposure to light. Samples packed in P-Plus 120 film displayed the lowest level of color deterioration in the cut zones. However, under lit conditions, the low permeability of this film caused atmospheres with very low O2 contents and high CO2 contents. These atmospheres produced a loss of texture and the development of off-odors.