Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the field of knowledge 18 “Production and Technology”, specialty 181 “Food Technology”. – Odesa National University of Technology. – Odesa, 2026.
The dissertation is devoted to the scientific substantiation and development of an improved technology for Ukrainian red wine production using exogenous phenolic components (oak extracts, oak chips, and tannins) in combination with controlled micro-oxygenation.
Traditional aging of red wines in oak barrels contributes to the formation of stable color, structure, and aroma. However, this process is expensive, time-consuming, and requires significant oak resources. Ukrainian red wines of the mass segment often demonstrate insufficient color stability and limited aging potential due to technological approaches that do not ensure effective stabilization of phenolic compounds.
The use of exogenous phenolic components combined with controlled micro-oxygenation allows key effects of barrel aging to be reproduced at lower cost and within a shorter period. These technologies promote color stabilization, improve sensory properties, enhance phenolic composition, and reduce production costs. The limited implementation of such approaches in Ukraine determines the relevance of this research.
The aim of the study was to scientifically substantiate and develop an improved technology for red wine production using exogenous phenolic components and controlled micro-oxygenation. The objectives included monitoring the quality of Ukrainian red wines, investigating the composition and properties of phenolic preparations, evaluating their influence on physicochemical, colorimetric, and sensory characteristics, determining optimal oxygenation regimes, developing adaptive technological schemes, and assessing their economic feasibility.
The research employed sensory methods according to ISO and OIV standards, physicochemical analyses, spectrophotometry, HPLC, GC-MS, CIELab colorimetry, and statistical data processing.
The scientific novelty consists in the comprehensive substantiation of an improved technology based on the combined application of exogenous phenolic components and controlled micro-oxygenation. The influence of preparation type, dosage, application stage, and oxygen regime on phenolic evolution, color stability, and sensory characteristics of red wines was established. Optimal technological parameters for the application of phenolic preparations and differentiated oxygen dosing were determined. Scientific approaches to adaptive red wine production without traditional oak barrels were further developed.
The practical significance of the work lies in the development of three adaptive technological schemes for red wine production and a technological instruction for “Tiras Red Blend” wine (TI U 11.02-44441389-001:2026), successfully tested at LLC “TIRAS WINERY” and recommended for industrial implementation. The results may be applied at wineries of various capacities and in educational programs in Food Technologies.
The first chapter reviews current knowledge on red wine composition, exogenous phenolic substances, and their application in modern winemaking. The advantages of combining phenolic preparations with controlled oxygenation are substantiated.
The second chapter describes the research methodology, experimental design, and analytical methods used to evaluate wine quality under practical production conditions.
The third chapter presents the results of monitoring Ukrainian red wines and studying exogenous phenolic preparations. Their composition was characterized using HPLC and GC-MS. The effects on phenolic composition, color parameters, and color stability were determined. Liquid oak extracts of the BLEND AO/FO 75 type and natural oak chips provided results most similar to traditional barrel aging. A controlled micro-oxygenation regime in sealed containers was developed and experimentally validated.
The fourth chapter summarizes the evaluation of wines produced using the improved technology. Three adaptive technological schemes were developed for young, complex, and premium red wines. The proposed technology demonstrated economic advantages over traditional barrel aging due to lower costs, improved quality stability, and greater scalability.
The main results of the dissertation have been published in 8 scientific publications and can be implemented in the Ukrainian wine industry and educational process.
