Absence of allergenic residues in experimental and commercial wines fined with caseinates

The possible presence of allergenic residues in wines treated with one of the potassium caseinates used as fining agents has been investigated. Samples of experimental (16) and commercial (63) wines that had been fined with caseinates with or without bentonites were studied. The leading physicochemical characteristics of each wine sample were determined to assess their possible role in promoting or hindering the elimination of allergenic residues. The study used a specifically developed ELISA test as well as an immunoblotting technique in which membranes were incubated with specific anti-caseinate antibody, both tests having high sensitivity for allergenic residues. No detectable allergenic residues were found in any of the samples by either immunochemical test, irrespective of the physicochemical characteristics of the wine, the type and dosage of refining agent and the enological process used.