Project description
A natural alternative to sulphites will give European wines an edge
A nice glass of wine can cause some rather unpleasant allergic reactions, from rashes to anaphylactic shock. The culprits are typically sulphites, synthetic preservatives to which some 1-5 people in 100 may have a sensitivity. Increasing regulation and consumer demand for so-called clean wines are pressing wine producers to find natural alternatives to sulphites. The Dutch SME Natural4Sure Company has developed just such a product, 4Sure, which can prevent oxidation and microbial growth in foods and beverages. The EU-funded 4Sure project is helping the team bring its revolutionary natural preservative to market to boost the competitiveness of European wine producers and the health and enjoyment of citizens around the world.
Objective
Europe is the world’s leading wine producer, however, it is a sector under threat by exports from “New World” wines. According to the EC, unless the European wine industry becomes more competitive and strengthens its reputation for quality wines, its days as market leader are numbered. Current accepted best practice to preserve wine is through the addition of regulated levels of sulphites (synthetic preservative recognised as allergenic substance), as there are no natural alternatives that can currently preserve wines as efficiently as sulphites, and therefore, totally avoid the use of sulphites during production. In contrast, consumer demand for clean label wines, considered high-quality, is going mainstream and, accordingly, the interest for wines without sulphites is on the rise. Upcoming EU regulations will force producers of alcoholic beverages to list all ingredients (thus, sulphites and relative quantity) on their labels, which will help consumers differentiate between high-quality wines (free-from synthetic additives, clean label) and poor-quality wines (with higher amounts of synthetic additives such as sulphites), currently impossible in this highly unregulated sector. If wine producers want to differentiate themselves from the competition and meet consumers' needs, it will be crucial, now, more than ever, to replace harmful, synthetic ingredients such as sulphites, with natural (e.g. plant based) preservatives offering similar functionalities. To meet producers' needs, Natural4Sure, advocator for high-quality wines, has developed a safe, natural alternative to sulphites; 4Sure, which can prevent oxidation, microbial growth and preserve colour in wines. In a future, 4Sure could also be applied to other food/beverage products containing sulphites as preservative. In 5 years from completion of the project, we expect to gain €12,3 million in cumulative profits, hire 32 new employees and achieve a ROI of €5,89 per euro invested in this project.
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
8181 NR HEERDE
Netherlands
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.