Evaluation of the use of sulfur dioxide and glutathione to prevent oxidative degradation of malvidin-3-monoglucoside by hydrogen peroxide in the model solution and real wine.

In this study the oxidative degradation by hydrogen peroxide of native grape anthocyanin was studied in model solutions and in red wines added with increasing concentration of sulfur dioxide and glutathione (GSH). The presence of hydrogen peroxide and metal ions in traces allowed to investigate the possibility to use GSH to prevent Fenton reaction in wine conditions. Two different pH of wine were considered: 3.20 and 3.80. The protective effect of sulfur dioxide on malvidin 3-monoglucoside degradation was higher at lower pH in model solution. No effect of pH on sulfur dioxide action towards the native anthocyanin in real wine was detected. Surprisingly GSH determined an increase in the degradation of malvidin 3-monoglucoside regardless of pH. Therefore, GSH is not effective in prevent native anthocyanins loss due to the Fenton reaction during red wine aging.