Objective The quality of cork, as widely used as stoppers for wine bottles, can be identified by the microbiological and chemical status, flavour neutrality, pressure resistance, absence of leakage and optimum pull forces. The cork-properties are mainly governed by the quality and treatment of the raw material and the physical chemical treatment of the end product. The different steps of production and treatment are performed at different locations. During the project correlations are determined between the different stages of production (cooking- storage- and washing-process) and the properties of the product concerning the microbiological and chemical quality. Critical quality points for the production process were determined and a concept for quality control of the complete sequence of production steps is worked out. The cooking process was identified as the most negative element in the production process measured by overall quality parameters. As an alternative to this process step, a steam treatment of the raw material has been developed It was assured, that the standard of physical quality could be kept by using the process techniques developed during the project. The microbiological and sensorical quality of the cork stoppers could be increased significantly. The new developed washing process, especially in combination with the steam treatment, leads to improved microbiological and the sensorical quality. By developing a new surface treatment, the final quality of the cork stoppers has been optimized. Programme(s) FP3-CRAFT - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of industrial and materials technologies - CRAFT -, 1990-1994 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Etos Korkverarbeitungs- und VertriebsGmbH EU contribution No data Address Friedrich Pieper Straße 17 49661 Cloppenburg Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all DEUTSCHES INSTITUT FUER LEBENSMITTELTECHNIK E.V. Germany EU contribution No data Address Professor von Klitzing Strasse 7 49610 QUAKENBRUECK See on map Total cost No data