Effect of UHPH and Sulphur Dioxide Content on Verdejo Vinification: Sensory, Chemical, and Microbiological Approach...

Ultra-High-Pressure Homogenization (UHPH) is increasingly accepted by alimentation industries as a methodology to prevent microbial contamination with minimal impact on food organoleptic characteristics. Since 2022 the International Organization of Vine and Wine allows the use of high pressure (over 200 MPa), applied continuously, in winemaking. While previous works reported the impact of UHPH technology on must microbiology and color; in the present work, the effect of UHPH in Verdejo is investigated, evaluated, and compared with the use of different amounts of sulphur dioxide from a sensorial, chemical, and microbiological point of view. Our findings indicate that combining low doses of sulphur dioxide with UHPH improves wine quality, increasing the floral and overall assessment and decreasing the amount of aging flavors after an accelerated aging test. This study provides new insights into the effect of UHPH on wine quality and, specifically, on how the aging potential contributes to a better understanding of the impact of UHPH technology on the shelf life of wines.