Vine to vitality: health boosters from wine waste

A product made from nutrients extracted from grape marc could be a valuable food additive

Spotted: Reducing food waste is an important sustainability goal, and researchers from Sonomaceuticals, The United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), and UC Davis have collaborated to develop ways to use by-products of winemaking in health products.

In winemaking, ripe grapes are crushed and then pressed to separate the juice from the solids. The juice is thwn used to make wine and the solids, called pomace or marc, are disposed of. However, these solids contain several nutrients. And Chardonnay grape marc, in particular, contains high levels of nutrients known as phenolics, which are also found in foods such as grapes, tea, apples, and cocoa.

Research studies have shown that phenolics can have beneficial health effects on the cardiovascular system, perhaps due to their ability to affect a number of cellular signalling and metabolic pathways. Oligosaccharides, a type of fibre, are also present in the marc and could improve gut health.

Further research, including clinical trials, will be required to confirm the impact of the marc on human health. Sonomaceuticals has already demonstrated that grape seed flour can be used to add nutritional benefits to commercial flours and believes grape marc can do the same for a wide variety of other food products. The company has developed a food supplement, WellVine, produced from Coastal Chardonnay marc, that can be added to foods, beverages, and dietary supplements.

Food waste valorization is a rapidly growing area of innovation. Springwise has recently covered projects in this space that include using waste coffee grounds as ingredients in wellness products and the use of aquafaba as an egg substitute.

Written By: Lisa Magloff