Commercial Services - Analyses
Preservatives and antioxidants
| Prices per analysis | |
| Analysis | Per Sample (excluding GST) |
| Free sulfur dioxide by FIA | $14 |
| Total sulfur dioxide by FIA | $14 |
| Sulfur dioxide free and total (FIA) | $24 |
| Volume required - 10 mL | |
| Total response time - 24 hrs | |
| Free sulfur dioxide by aspiration | $20 |
| Total sulfur dioxide by aspiration | $20 |
| Sulfur dioxide free and total by aspiration | $30 |
| Volume required - 50 mL | |
| Total response time - 24 hrs | |
| Ascorbic and erythorbic acids | $40 |
| Volume required - 10 mL | |
| Total response time - 72 hrs | |
| Sorbic acid | $26 |
| Volume required - 10 mL | |
| Total response time - 24 hrs | |
Sulfur dioxide: free and total
Both free and total sulfur dioxide can be measured using the Rankine and Pocock aspiration method or by the Lachat Flow Injection Analysis (FIA).
In the aspiration method, sulfur dioxide is sparged from the acidified wine sample in an air stream and trapped in a solution of hydrogen peroxide. The aspiration procedure oxidises the sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid which is then titrated with standardised sodium hydroxide. The amount of sodium hydroxide required is proportional to the amount of sulfur dioxide.
The determination of free and total sulfur dioxide by flow injection analysisinvolves the sulfite in the sample being acidified with a dilute hydrochloric acid solution and the acidified sample passing through two channels where it is subsequently heated on one channel but not the other. The heat and acid hydrolyse the acetaldehyde-alpha-hydroxysulfonate bond and other bisulfite complexes to release SO2(g). The resulting sulfur dioxide gas passes through a Teflon membrane and reacts with formaldehyde and pararosaniline dye in an acid solution to form a red-violet coloured complex. The absorbance of the coloured complex measured at 560 nm is directly proportional to the SO32- in the sample.
Ascorbic and erythorbic acids
Ascorbic acid and erythorbic acid function as reducing agents and are used as anti-oxidants in wine production. Commercial Services performs this analysis using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Dehydro ascorbic acid, which results from the oxidation of ascorbic acid, can also be measured.
Sorbic acid
This method involves a colorimetric procedure measuring absorbance after a single extraction with iso-octane. The analysis of this compound is mandatory for all wines that are exported to Japan.