FR2635292A1 - PROCESS FOR TREATING PLATES IN LIEGE - Google Patents

Abstract

The process disclosed is characterized by a first, cleaning, phase in which the corks are treated, particularly with stirring, at ambient temperature in an aqueous alkaline solution containing a mixture of sodium hydroxide, sodium silicate and hydrogen peroxide, by a second, drying, phase in which the corks are dried at a temperature of the order of 40 - 80 DEG C and by a third, disinfection, phase in which the corks are treated with an aqueous acidic solution containing a mixture of acetic and peracetic acid plus hydrogen peroxide in equilibrium, this third phase being followed by a further drying phase.

Description

"Process for treating cork stoppers" The present invention

relates to a method of

treatment of corks.

  The well-known problem of oenologists and bottlers says the "taste of cork" entails every-

  losses of up to 1% of the

  total wine production, which is considerable.

  Under this name of "cork taste" we mean all the defects of taste of the wine which can

  have different origins. We have, however, been able

  finish that these problems were, most often,

  due, on the one hand, to the washing of corks by

  chlorinated products and, on the other hand, the presence and development in the cork of which the corks are made, of microorganisms which may either already be present

  in cork, or appear during its treatment.

later.

  To avoid the harmful influence of the microbial flora of the cork on the drink, especially the bottled wine, it has become customary to subject the corks before their use to a disinfection operation; this traditionally consists of

  soaking the corks in a hypochlorine solution

  rite of sodium. This treatment is most often

  made directly to the producer.

  The aforementioned treatment makes it possible to disinfect cork satisfactorily in view of the bactericidal and sporicidal efficacy spectrum well known for hypochlorites, but it has been demonstrated that this leads to a release of chlorine which favors

  known in the presence of polyphenols and / or tannins pre-

  in cork, the release of compounds such as

  trichloranisole, for example, that some people

  for the essential person responsible for the "taste of

chon ".

  For this reason, attempts have been made to replace hypochlorites with other disinfectant

  similar effect and devoid of toxicity so as to

  see being used for the treatment of plugs

intended for bottling.

  In parallel with the problems mentioned above,

  industrialists wish to have access to

  chons whose aspect is as pleasant as possible and in any case largely devoid of stains; for this reason, the suppliers have become accustomed to subjecting the corks to a fading treatment, if necessary, followed by a re-coloring according to the

  uses specific to each region. This treatment is often

  recently performed at the same time as disinfection, taking into account the well-known bleaching properties

sodium hypochlorite.

  These imperatives clearly demonstrate that,

  to replace sodium hypochlorite for the treatment of

  corks, it is necessary to choose a product that is free of toxicity and that not only has a very broad microbicide spectrum, but also intensive oxidative properties in order to obtain

the desired whitening.

  Of the products studied, only the use of

  hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid a

  could be considered; however, the methods of

  have so far been offered have not

  mainly because of the unpleasant appearance of the corks obtained, and the conventional hypochlorite process is still very wide today.

implemented.

  In addition, to improve the appearance of

  corks offered to industrialists, we had taken

  the ability to pass the corks once treated with sodium hypochlorite in an oxalic acid solution; the main role of this treatment was to remove the stains present on the surface of the corks (brick-red spots rich in tannin and

  iron) and thus improve the appearance of these.

  However, such treatment can no longer be

  because oxalic acid has now been

  has been classified as a toxic substance.

  Consequently, it has become imperative to develop a process for the treatment of stoppers which is of a nature to be substituted, on the one hand, for treatment with hypochlorites and, on the other hand, for

treatment with oxalic acid.

  For this purpose, we have naturally thought of

  to precede the whitening and disin-

  fection by a step of superficial delignification and to implement for this purpose an alkaline reagent, especially sodium hydroxide, which is a well known solvent of

  lignin and has been used for many

  especially in the context of the industry of

  paper making. Tests that have been carried out

  for this purpose, however, have not proved satisfactory.

sants.

  The object of the present invention is to

  the above-mentioned drawbacks by proposing a process for the treatment of hypochlorite-free corks making it possible to avoid the formation of

  composed of anisole while having a

  than all the microbial germs, thus resulting in products that are incapable of promoting the formation of "cork taint" and, at the same time, of a nature to allow bleaching of the stoppers and the removal of brown spots on their surface, while at the same time leading to a surface texture integrates fine, regular and pleasant.

  According to the invention, this process is characterized

  in that, in a first phase or phase of net-

  in particular, the stirring

  at room temperature by an aqueous alkaline solution containing a mixture of hydroxide, sodium silicate and hydrogen peroxide, in a second phase or phase of rest, the plugs are dried at a

  temperature of the order of 40 to 80 C, and in a third

  Phase II or disinfection phase, corks are treated with a balanced acidic aqueous solution containing a mixture of acetic and peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide, this third phase

  followed by a final drying phase.

  According to another characteristic of the invention

  the third phase is implemented at a

between 10 and 60.

  During the implementation of the first phase of this process, the simultaneous treatment by the

  three components is essential: there is, indeed,

  energy between the action of the soda which allows

  superficially weld lignin so eliminate

  the aesthetic defects of the stopper and the action

  sodium silicate and hydrogen peroxide

  born; it is also possible to vary the degree of bleaching of the corks, depending on the demand, but also the properties of the cork put in place.

  work by adjusting the NaOH / Na2SiO3 ratio.

  The rest phase that follows this phase

  cleaning is also of considerable importance.

  particularly for two reasons: in fact, the increase in temperature leads, on the one hand, to an activation of the hydrogen peroxide which makes it possible to initiate

  the disinfection of the corks and, on the other hand,

  decomposing the sodium silicate in the form

  silica to intensify the discolouration of

  and give them a similar surface texture

  velvet particularly pleasant to the touch.

  As already indicated, the relative proportions of the various constituents of the solution of

  cleaning may vary according to the degree of

  desired chiment; it has, however, proved that particularly satisfactory results are obtained

  using a solution containing approximately,

  weight percent, 1 to 5% 50% sodium hydroxide, 2 to 10% 50% sodium silicate and 15 to 25%

% of 35% hydrogen peroxide.

  For this last component, it is possible, for example, to use the composition marketed under

  the denomination "P3-OXONIA" (registered trademark).

  The experiment has also shown that the contact time of the stoppers and the cleaning solution should be of the order of 30 minutes with agitation and that this treatment should be followed by a

  rest at 80 'also for about 30 minutes.

  In addition, the particular choice of the disinfectant in the third phase of the implementation of the process according to the invention is also

  essential. Experience has, in fact, largely demon-

  only in acceptable working conditions (temperature and concentration) was hydrogen peroxide

  alone, of such a nature as to lead to destruc-

  of all microbial germs, whereas peracetic acid, because of its instability and its ability to release oxygen, could not be

  used alone, in non-stabilized solution.

  For this reason, and according to a preferred feature of the invention, the solution

  aqueous disinfection contains about

  weight, 2 to 5% of the solution marketed

  under the name "P3-OXONIA ACTIF" (trade mark

See).

  For this solution to be used

  with maximum efficiency, he. is, of course,

  dispensable to eliminate any trace of alkalinity of the corks following the treatment of. cleaning, and therefore to provide a rinse a few minutes before

  the implementation of the disinfection solution.

  To have maximum efficiency of disin-

  fection, it was found that the plugs should be brought into contact with stirring with. the disinfectant solution for about 15 to 30 minutes, at a

  temperature not exceeding 40 0C.

  This operation may, if necessary, be followed by staining, before the plugs are subjected to drying at 80 ° C. for about 30 minutes to 1 hour in one or two stages. These are, then, ready to be used during bottling

wine or other drinks.

  The aforementioned method can, of course, be implemented in any device, without departing from the scope of the invention. We

  chooses, however, preferably to place the

  cleaning solution and the solution

  aqueous disinfection in stainless steel tanks

  to minimize the problems of corro-

if we.

  Moreover, it is particularly

  tageux, to remove the "voltigeurs" and avoid their presence in the wine, .de place the caps to treat

  (usually in groups of 10 to 20 * 000) in drums

  horizontal cylindrical bins with horizontal rotation before putting them successively in contact with the various treatment solutions; the use of such a device makes it possible, in parallel, to improve and intensify the contact between the plugs and the

different solutions.

  The characteristics of the process which is the subject of the invention will be described in more detail

  referring to the implementation example below

  above: A batch of 15,000 corks has been placed in

a cylindrical drum with a grid.

  These plugs were soaked and rotated

  during 30 minutes at room temperature in a

  % composition by weight: 1.2% of 50% sodium hydroxide solution 19% of "P3-OXONIA" (registered trademark) (35% hydrogen peroxide)

  - 2% of 50% sodium metasilicate.

  The corks were then drained 2 half

  and then dried for 30 minutes at 80 ° C. they have

  then rinsed for 2 minutes.

  Then, the drum was again rotated, and the plugs were soaked for 15 minutes at room temperature in a solution of

  "P3-OXONIA ACTIVE" (registered trademark) at 3%. This treatment

  was followed by pre-drying for 20 minutes at

  * C then drying for 40 minutes at 80-C.

  It was thus possible to obtain plugs which

  the appearance was totally satisfactory.

Claims (2)

A method for treating cork stoppers, characterized in that, in a first phase or cleaning phase, the corks at ambient temperature are treated, in particular by stirring, with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a mixture of corks and corks. sodium hydroxide hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide, in a second phase or phase of rest, the corks are dried at a temperature of the order of 40 to 80 C, and in a third phase or phase of disinfection the plugs are treated with a balanced acidic aqueous solution containing a mixture of acetic and peracetic acids and hydrogen peroxide, this third phase being followed by a final drying phase.   20) The process according to claim 1, characterized   in that the third phase is implemented   at a temperature of between 10 and 60.   ) Process according to any one of   claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the phase   disinfection is preceded by a rinsing phase.   ) Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the solu-   aqueous cleaning solution contains, approximately   weight percent, 1 to 5% of sodium hydroxide.   50%, 2 to 10% of 50% sodium silicate and 15% % of 35% hydrogen peroxide.   Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that   keeps the corks in contact with the aqueous solution   with stirring for about 30 minutes.   your. 6) Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, before   implement the disinfection phase, dry   the caps for about 30 minutes.   7) Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the   aqueous disinfection contains approximately   weight percentage, 2 to 5% of the commercial solution   under the name "P3-OXONIA ACTIF" (Mar- than filed).   8 ') Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that   holds the caps in contact with agitation with the aqueous solution of disinfection for about 15 to minutes.   9 ') Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that   the aqueous cleaning solution, as well as the   disinfection in stainless steel tanks. ) Process according to any one of   Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that   the plugs to be treated in cylindrical drums   horizontally rotating screens and they are succes-   in contact with the various treatment solutions.