ABSTRACT
In 1665, Robert Hooke was the first to observe cork cells and their characteristic hexagonal shape, using the first optical microscope, which was invented by him at that time. With the evolution of imaging techniques, the structure of cork has been analysed with greater accuracy over time. This work presents the latest advances in the characterization of this unique material through a multiscale approach. Such investigation brings new insight into the architecture of cork, particularly the differences between the cells of the phellem and those bordering the lenticels. In the latter case, cell differentiation from the lenticular phellogen was restricted to one cell layer, which leads to a cell wall that is 10 times thicker for lenticels. They also displayed a different chemical composition because of unsuberization and a high lignin content in lenticels. Such advances in the knowledge of the structure and composition of cork cells contributes to a better understanding of the macroporosity of cork, down to the nanoscale.
ABSTRACT
The sporadic oxidation of white wines remains an open question, making wine shelf life a subjective debate. Through a multidisciplinary synoptic approach performed as a remarkable case study on aged bottles of white wine, this work unraveled a yet unexplored route for uncontrolled oxidation. By combining sensory evaluation, chemical and metabolomics analyses of the wine, and investigating oxygen transfer through the bottleneck/stopper, this work elucidates the importance of the glass/cork interface. It shows unambiguously that the transfer of oxygen at the interface between the cork stopper and the glass bottleneck must be considered a potentially significant contributor to oxidation state during the bottle aging, leading to a notable modification of a wine's chemical signature.
ABSTRACT
This work investigated the impact of two homogenization treatments, High Shear (HS) and High Pressure (HP), on the structure and antioxidant activity of chitosan-lignin bio-composite films. Laser light scattering analysis revealed that smaller lignin particles were obtained after HP processing, around 0.6µm, compared to HS treatment, between 2.5 and 5µm. Moreover, these particles were more homogeneously distributed in the chitosan film matrix after HP process, while some aggregates remained after HS treatment, as highlighted by two-photon microscopy. The surface hydrophobicity of the composite films, as measured by water contact angle, increased after the two homogenization treatments. Finally, the antioxidant activity of the composite films was determined using the DPPH· assay. No significant difference in the radical scavenging activity was noticeable, neither after HS nor HP processing. However, a migration of lignin residues from the film to the extraction medium was noticed, particularly for HP process.
