Kim Willsher reports on a new device to measure the levels of antioxidants in red wine:
The matchbox-size device can measure antioxidants in a drop of wine placed on a test strip and is expected to sell to wine producers for around €2,000 (£1,720). The Swiss manufacturers Diagnogene are planning a model for wine drinkers. “I can absolutely see people choosing to buy one wine over another because they can see it is healthier for them,” said Hoda. “It will also help producers make wine with more polyphenols. We know these antioxidants come from the skin of the grapes, that red grapes are better than white, and that the levels can be determined by the length of fermentation and other factors.”
He said the Swiss pilot test had revealed pinot noir grapes to have the greatest health benefits. “Let’s be honest, it must be better to have a glass of wine than to take a pill. Within moderation, of course.”
Claims for the positive properties of wine — particularly red — on the heart and brain have long been made and not only by French bons vivants. In 2006 a study by British scientists published in Nature said: “Regular, moderate consumption of red wine is linked to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and to lower overall mortality”.
Of course, given past experience, don’t expect regulators in Canada or the US to suddenly allow any claims of health virtue to appear on wine bottle labels. Wouldn’t want to encourage drinking, you know.
