The effect of wine type, temperature, and carbon dioxide concentration on the volumetric mass transfer coefficient during nitrogen-induced oxygen removal in wine

Oxygen content in wine significantly influences wine stability and shelf life. Wine producers commonly use nitrogen sparging to modify the final oxygen content in the wine, however, it is not always clear how long the wine producer should operate the sparging in order to achieve the desired oxygen content. Oxygen removal during sparging is controlled by the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (K L a). This study investigated the effect of wine type (red, rosé, and white), temperature (5°C, 10°C, and 20°C), and carbon dioxide concentration on K L a during nitrogen-induced oxygen removal. By systematising these variables, the work bridges knowledge gaps and offers actionable insights for more effective oxygen management in diverse wine matrices. Results indicate that K L a values are significantly influenced by both wine type and temperature, with higher values observed in red wine compared to white and rosé wines, potentially due to variations in ethanol and other dissolved compounds’ concentrations. Temperature elevation enhanced mass transfer rates across all wine types, highlighting the temperature dependence of K L a. Moreover, the presence of carbon dioxide reduced K L a, likely affecting bubble coalescence and stability. This is the first study which has investigated the variability of K L a as a function of composition, temperature, and carbon dioxide concentration – an important set of parameters since these are the variable conditions which wine makers must contend with.