# Chemical and Sensory Evaluation of Silicone and
## 4 Conclusions  
A reduction in the concentrations of all three MPs of between 38%-44% for the silicone polymer (200 cm\({}^{2}\)/L) and 75%-78% for the polylactic polymer (600 cm\({}^{2}\)/L) was observed. These changes represent a significant decrease in the MP load of treated wines, and compare very favorably with the few other remedial treatments suggested in the literature. Importantly, very little change in most non-target volatile aroma compounds and color parameters was found, partially addressing potential concerns regarding the selectivity of these polymers. Sensory results were less clear, often not showing the expected reduction in intensity of descriptors associated with MPs, possibly due to differential masking phenomena that have previously been reported with MP remediation [11; 16], and/or the analysis being underpowered. Importantly, the sensory data demonstrated that the polymers did not contribute negatively to the aroma or flavor profiles of treated wines. Consideration of the combined results suggests that polylactic acid at 600 cm\({}^{2}\)/L or silicone at 200 cm\({}^{2}\)/L are the preferred treatments for red wine under the conditions assessed here. Further research is encouraged to better understand the effect these polymers may have on juice, white wine, and other wine styles, as well as the potential for compounds to leach into treated product. Practical consideration and evaluation of how these polymers may best be incorporated into commercial juice and wine processing are needed. For instance, poly-lactic acid can be produced in a variety of forms with different physical properties, conferring flexibility in how it might be used. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l l} \hline \hline
**Standard** & **Descriptor** & **Recipe** \\ \hline
1 & Red fruit & Wine + 3 drops “cherry” + 2 drops “strawberry” \\  & & Wine + 2 drops “fig” + 2 drops “dark cherry” + 1 drop “linden” \\
2 & Dark fruit & + 4 drops “ripe blackberry” \\
3 & Dried fruit & Wine + 3 drops “fig” + 2 drops “prune” \\
4 & Green pepper & Wine + 2 drops “green pepper” \\
5 & Green beans & Wine + 4 tablespoons of green bean brine from a can of President’s Choice® \\  & & Green Beans \\  & & Wine + 2 drops “black pepper” + 2 drops “clove” + 5 drops “baking spice” + drops “smie” \\
6 & Spice & drops “smie” \\
7 & Herbal & Wine + 1 drop “eucalyptus” + 1 drops “cedar” + 1 drop “green/herbaceous” \\
8 & Olives & Wine + 4 tablespoons brine form a can of President’s Choice® Green Olives \\
9 & Dusty/Dirty & Wine + 1 drop “mineral/wet rock” \\
10 & Leather/earthy & Wine + 2 drops “leather” + 1 drop “ruffles” + 1 drop “mushroom” \\
11 & Candy/medicinal & Wine + 8 Jolly Ranchor candy + 5 Jubipes, blended \\
12 & Peanuts & Wine + 3 tablespoons raw peanuts, blended \\
13 & Grassy/green & Wine + 2 drops “green/herbaceous” + 1 drop “unripe” \\
14 & Brine & Wine + 2 drops “olives” + 1 teaspoon President’s Choice® Soy Sauce \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: Recipes for aroma standards used for panel training. Recipes were prepared using 500 mL of Merlot base wine and aroma standards from the Wine Awakenings® Kit or other commercial products, as indicated. Potentially, it could be integrated into existing filtration systems, manufactured as solid tank inserts, or added as pellets directly to the product and later removed when the desired reduction in MP content has been achieved. **Acknowledgments:** The authors wish to acknowledge funding of this project by the Ontario Research Fund in addition to thanking [PERSON] for invaluable assistance with aroma analysis and [PERSON] for assistance with the lactic acid analysis. [PERSON] and [PERSON] are thanked for their editorial and technical assistance. Finally, thank you to the anonymous reviewers for suggestions that have improved the manuscript. **Author Contributions:** [PERSON] conceived the experiment and is the Principal Investigator for the Ontario Research Fund project. [PERSON] carried out the MP analysis, volatile aroma analysis and sensory analysis.