The Use of Purified and Modified Cellulose in Wine Production and Analysis

Cellulose is not only one of the most abundant biological macromolecules but can also be purified and modified to serve a multitude of purposes in industrial winemaking processes. Being composed of only glucose and naturally occurring unbranched in nature as strands and fibrils, cellulose can be used for filtration directly or as a filtration aid. It can also be enriched to selectively remove unwanted compounds from wine or chemically modified to change its solubility, hydrophobicity, and reactivity properties. The most common examples in wine production are methylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and dicarboxymethyl cellulose. With the exception of methylcellulose, these compounds are mostly used for achieving various forms of physical stability, such as cold and heat stability. Methylcellulose, while not allowed as an additive in wine, can be used for analytical purposes to quantify condensed tannins in a variety of matrices. This review covers the wine-related uses of purified cellulose by itself and its variations in wine filtration, as well as the chemical modifications and uses of cellulose gum in the winemaking process and for wine analyses. The sustainability of cellulose compared to other fining agents, filtration aids, and additives makes it a versatile and viable option in the world of wine.