Copper content of grape and wine from Italian farms

Mª Angeles García Esparza (1)

1 Plant Chemistry

Copper content in grape and wine from 16 wine-farms in Italy was studied during the harvest of 2003. The influence of number of applications, days between last application and harvest and total copper applied was studied. Of the total number of grape and wine samples analysed, 13% and respectively 18% exceeded the MRL. Total copper applied and number of days between the last application and harvest were the two factors that best explained the concentration of copper in grape (r= 0.66). In order to decrease the probability of copper residue close to MRL, the time after last application and harvest should be more than 40 days if the dose exceeds 3.1 kg/ha. Furthermore, copper content in grape and wine does not depend on the pest strategy of the farm (conventional, integrated and organic). More important factors ultimately influencing the copper residual level may be that the applications are made depending on the prediction of out-brake of the disease rather than the followed pest strategy. No difference in copper content between red and white grape and wine was noted.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Mª Angeles García Esparza. Copper content of grape and wine from Italian farms. Food Additives and Contaminants, 2006, 23 (03), pp.274. ⟨10.1080/02652030500429117⟩. ⟨hal-00577560⟩