Aug 22, 2023GreenVenus’ gene-edited grapes offer premium quality, sustainable winemaking
GreenVenus LLC, an agricultural biotech company, has released advances aimed at revolutionizing the production of high-quality wines without using sulfites.
Oxidation, or browning, during grape juice processing can affect the color, phenolic content, and overall quality of wines. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is commonly used to prevent undesired oxidation, but it is linked to adverse health effects for individuals who are sensitive or allergic to sulfites. As a result, there is a growing demand for sustainable alternatives to address oxidation without compromising wine quality and safety.
GreenVenus has released new wine grape cultivars that possess natural preservation properties, diminishing or negating the need for sulfites as preservatives during winemaking. These novel varieties exhibit intrinsic antioxidant capabilities that will safeguard wine from oxidation and protect its authentic color and flavors, according to a news release.
“We are excited to bring modern breeding technologies such as gene editing to wine grapes,” Shiv Tiwari, CEO of GreenVenus, said in the release. “We are making significant progress in developing new grape varieties that require fewer chemical inputs while ensuring the production of premium-quality wines”.
The achievement resulted from a collaboration between GreenVenus and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Plant Transformation Facility in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, who developed a breakthrough platform that allows for the regeneration of gene-edited plants from single cells of multiple grape varieties.
“These innovations are only the beginning,” Tiwari said in the release. “Our technologies hold tremendous promise to enhance the resistance of wine grapes to destructive diseases, reduce the reliance on chemical interventions and promote environmentally friendly vinification practices”.
GreenVenus will focus on product development with grape varieties that thrive in California’s diverse wine-growing regions. The new varieties will be made available to growers and winemakers through licensing agreements.
GreenVenus is an agricultural biotechnology company that embraces the mission of delivering new fruits, vegetables and grains with improved nutritional value, better taste, and reduced food wastage. Through its proprietary Botticelli plant regeneration technology and transformative breeding innovations, GreenVenus develops new agricultural products that meet the evolving needs of consumers and the industry.