Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Cádiz, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), IVAGRO, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.

1.  - RESULTS AND DISCUSSION - 
0,0
5,0
10,0
15,0
20,0
25,0
30,0
35,0
40,0
W1 W2 W3 R1 R2 R3 R4
%
Protein (%) Fat (%)
Figure 3. Fat and protein content in wine lees. (*) USDA Food Composition Database
Sancho-Galán, P., Amores-Arrocha, A., Jiménez-Cantizano, A. and Palacios, V.
Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Cádiz,
Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), IVAGRO,
P.O. Box 40, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
e-mail.: antonio.amores@uca.es
 - INTRODUCTION -   - AIM - 
Decantation
and
Centrifugation
Ultra-freezing
and freeze-
drying 72 h
White (W) and red (R) wine lees generated after
must fermentation.
Figures 4 and 5 show the results of the mineral and trace content analysis. Potassium is present in the lees much higher than the other cations. This fact can have
two different origins; K is the main cation in the grape and, therefore, it must be in the lees given the precipitation processes of the acids during the vinification
process. Ca and P are present in the soil of the vineyard and are absorbed by the vine, becoming part of the wine. These elements, together with Mg and Zn are
beneficial to the human organism. On the other hand, elements not recommended in the diet as Na, or toxic as Cd and Pb are present in low amounts.
Figure 3 shows the results of the total fat and crude protein content
in winemaking lees. Samples from this research have a fat content
ranging from 7.5% for W3 to 35% for R3. Fats from lees mainly come
from the plasma membranes of yeast. Thus, the great variability in
the fat content in the samples can be attributed to the yeast strain
used to perform the alcoholic fermentation and the medium
conditions (Troton, 1989).
The crude protein lees contents ranges from 5.28% for R1 to 26.7%
for W3 . The protein content in lees can be affected by the
appearance of alcohol in the medium and changes in temperature
(Feuillat, 1980). Like the total fat content, the amount of protein is
influenced by the main yeast strain implanted during wine
fermentation.
Table 3 shows the results of the analysis of the winemaking lees antioxidant
capacity. All the lees have a scavenging effect of more than 70% in all cases.
Hwang et al., (2009) reported in publications that the scavenging effect of the
Queen grape (Taiwan) has values close to 90%.
On the other hand, Vázquez et al., (2011) report that blueberries contain
between 15 and 25 mmol of TROLOX per gram of blueberries (fresh weight).
Therefore, can be established that for every three grams of lyophilized lees
consumed the same amount of antioxidants is ingested as for each gram of
blueberries. In this way, the inclusion of lees in the diet can be an important
source of antioxidant that can have a great alimentary interest like functional
ingredient in the enrichment of new foods.
Figure 6 shows the results of the percentage analysis of the different lees emulsions and a
commercial control such as soy lecithin. It can be observed that lees emulsions are formed by a fatty
phase much smaller than those elaborated with a commercial emulsifier. This fact is beneficial for
the development of O/W emulsions with lees since they will allow the formulation of products with
less fat.
Furthermore, the use of winemaking lees in emulsion formulations will confer an antioxidant
character and will allow the use of it as a natural and non-allergen dye.
According to Cui et al., 2017, the emulsifying capacity and stability were determined. All lees
except R4 had a 80% of emulsifying capacity and a stability of approximately 90%. No foaming
formation was detected in winemaking lees
Figure 1. Red wine lees
Figure 2. White wine lees
Sample Scavenging effect (%) * Antioxidant capacity (mgTROLOX/g lías)**
W1 70.93 ± 2.33 153.34 ± 7.59
W2 96.44 ± 1.19 242.12 ± 3.95
W3 93.84 ± 0.10 225.72 ± 0.34
R1 147.87 ± 0.10 239.76 ± 0.34
R2 102.16 ± 1.08 218.45 ± 3.61
R3 125.22 ± 0.77 234.66 ± 0.34
R4 125.08 ± 0.33 242.08 ± 0.11
Table 3. Antioxidant capacity of wine lees expressed in scavenging effect and quantified in mg of
TROLOX/g of lees from a calibration line
R2* R4* R1* R3* W2** W1** W3**
Homogenized and packaged winemaking lees
Freeze-dried lees
Hen eggs
12% *
Quinoa grains
13%*
Chicken breast
3.6%*
* Hwang et al. 2009. ** Vázquez et al. 2011
Physical-chemical
characterization
• Antioxidant activity
• Minerals and trace
elements
Nutritional
characterization
• Fat content
• Protein content
Technological
characterization
• Emulsion capacity and
stability
• Foam capacity and
stability
Lab work
 - CONCLUSIONS- 
• The vinification lees have a heterogeneous
nutritional composition, rich in proteins and
fats and very dependent on the main yeast
strain implanted in the wine alcoholic
fermentation.
• The winemaking lees are rich in minerals,
highlighting in their composition elements such
as P and K very beneficial from a nutritional
point of view.
• All lees present a high antioxidant capacity
due to the richness of polyphenolic
compounds (anthocyanin and tannin) in the
medium in which they are obtained.
This research can also contribute in a favourable
way to the reuse of the winery waste that is not
currently used in the agri-food industry.
In this way, this opens a new alternative for the
food industry, with the use of lees as an
ingredient, substitute or natural alimentary dye.
Bustos G., Moldes A.B., Cruz J.M., Dominguez J.M. Formulation of low-cost fermentative media for lactic acid production with Lactobacillus rhamnosus using vinification lees as nutrients, J. Agric. Food Chem. 52 (2004) 801–808.
Braga, F. G., Lencant e Silva, F. A., Alves, A. (2002). Recovery of winery by-products in the Douro demarcated region: Production of calcium tartrate and grape pigments. American Journal of Enology Viticulture, 53, 41–45.
Cui, S. W., & Chang, Y. H. (2014). Emulsifying and structural properties of pectin enzymatically extracted from pumpkin. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 58(2), 396-403.
Dimou, C., Kopsahelis, N., Papadaki, A., Papanikolaou, S., Kookos, I. K., Mandala, I., & Koutinas, A. A. (2015). Wine lees valorization: Biorefinery development including production of a generic fermentation feedstock employed for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)
synthesis. Food Research International, 73, 81–87
Feuillat, M. (1980). Mise en evidence d’une production de proteases exocellulaires par les levures au cours de la fermentation alcoolique de moût de raisir. Conaiss Vigne Vin, 14, 37-52.
Hwang, J. Y., Shyu, Y. S., & Hsu, C. K. (2009). Grape wine lees improves the rheological and adds antioxidant properties to ice cream. LWT - Food Science and Technology
Naziri, E., Mantzouridou, F., & Tsimidou, M. (2012). Recovery of squalene from wine lees using ultrasound assisted extraction-A feasibility study. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60(36), 9195–9201.
Pérez-Serradilla, J. A., & Luque de Castro, M. D. (2011). Microwave-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from wine lees and spray-drying of the extract. Food Chemistry, 124(4), 1652–1659.
Ruggieri, L., Cadena, E., Martínez-Blanco, J., Gasol, C. M., Rieradevall, J., Gabarrell, X., Sánchez, A. (2009). Recovery of organic wastes in the Spanish wine industry. Technical, economic and environmental analyses of the composting process. Journal of
Cleaner Production, 17(9), 830–838.
Troton, D. (1989). Evolution of the lipid contents of Champagne wine during the second fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Am. J. Enol. Vitic, 40(3), 175-182.
United States Department of Agriculture. (2017). [USDA Food Composition Database]. Retrieved from: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/82433?manu=&fgcd=&ds=
Vázquez-Castilla S., Guillén-Bejarano R., Jaramillo-Carmona S. (2005). Funcionalidad de distintas variedades de arándanos.
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W1 W2 W3 R1 R2 R3 R4 Testigo
%
Fatty phase (%) Aqueous phase (%)
Virtis Benchtop KTM
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W1 W2 W3 R1 R2 R3 R4
Ca,Mg,Na,Fe,Cu,P(mg/L)
K(mg/L)
K Ca Mg Na Fe Cu P
Bananas (K)
0.36 g/100g *
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W1 W2 W3 R1 R2 R3 R4
Cr,Co,Ni,Cd,Pb(µg/L)
Mn,Zn(µg/L)
Mn Zn Cr Co Ni Cd Pb
Oyster (Zn)
3.6 mg/100g *
Fig 6. Percentage study of lees emulsions versus a commercial control
Figure 4. Mineral content in wine lees. (*) USDA Food Composition Database Figure 5. Trace elements content in wine lees. (*) USDA Food Composition Database
References:
Winemaking
lees (WL)
•Residue that forms at the
bottom of vessel containing
wine generated after the
vinification process (Fig. 1
& Fig. 2)
Use of WL in
wineries
•Currently, wineries use WL
to obtain alcohol through
distillation, tartaric acid
by crystalization or
compost.
 - MATERIAL AND METHODS - 
Unpackaging
Extraction of compounds
of interest such as
polyphenols or squalene
(Naziri et al., 2012)
Use of winemaking lees
as a culture medium for
lactic acid bacteria
(Bustos et al., 2004)
Use of winemaking lees
as substrate for
biorefineries (Dimou et
al., 2015)
Use of winemaking lees
as a possible ingredient
in food processing
(Hwang et al., 2009)
Previous
research
works
Carry out a nutritional, physical-
chemical and technological
analysis of seven winemaking lees
to study the potential of this wine
by-product as a food ingredient
 - INNOVATION- 
Use of a wine by-product such as
winemaking lees for their inclusion
in new food formulations.
* Red wine lees ** White wine lees.
Analysis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Financed with the funds of the AGR-203 research
group "Engineering and Food Technology". The results
presented have been obtained in the framework of a
Final Degree Project in Oenology at the University of
Cadiz.