TECHNOLOGY
New chromatograph SPME Arrow – GC Intuvo – MS / MS
J·Vigas acquires a new chromatograph in order to improve in precision and speed
September 2021
We interviewed Raquel de Nadal, Director of Sustainability and Innovation, to find out more about the new acquisition
We know that J·Vigas’s main objective is to be a company committed to sustainability, but could you tell me what would be another of the most important objectives of the Department of Sustainability and Innovation?
One of the objectives that we have as a company is to face even more the needs of the clients, not only optimizing the process of the service of orders but also trying to accompany and advise our clients in relation to our product throughout the entire process of elaboration.
We know that one of the issues that worries wineries the most are sensory deviations. One of our objectives is to give a quick answer to the question: “Do I have contamination due to the presence of haloanisoles?”
And what have you done to be able to answer the client and give him a quick answer without a doubt?
The Department of Sustainability and Innovation has started several projects such as the optimization of the production process including a sensory homogenization system or the study of automatic detection machines for contaminated caps.
At J · Vigas we continue to believe that the most important point in the entire process is the control of the raw material. This control needs to be fast and accurate, as does the response to customer advice, which is why we have purchased a chromatograph from Agilent Technologies: SPME Arrow – GC Intuvo – MS / MS.
Do you really think that the purchase of such powerful equipment is necessary for a company in the cork sector?
I have this answer very clear, it is a resounding yes. The cork sector will be adapting in the optimization of processes and machinery and we always have to be studying new technologies.
The new chromatograph allows us a great speed with the analysis thanks to the SPME Arrow + GC Intuvo technology and precision in the detection and maximum quantification with the mass-mass detector. This means that if we compare with conventional systems, we can do the analytics six times faster.
But what is the analysis process like with the new chromatograph?
It is sampled following the ISO standard, the corks are left to macerate 24 hours according to the UNE standard and that is when the new technology comes into play. The detection and quantification of haloanisoles is carried out in five minutes, compared to the 30 minutes required by the other chromatograph that we have.
But there are checks that do not need maceration. The MS / MS detector allows to the analysis of wine samples (very complex matrix) with the same precision that eliminates the effect of this matrix, and by not needing maceration the client can have the result in 5 minutes.
Agilent Technologies Chromatographe: SPME Arrow – GC Intuvo – MS / MS
Is it only used for quality control or will it also be used for R + D + i projects?
It serves both to support Quality Control and R + D + I projects.
The idea is to extend the analysis to the detection of other sensory deviations that concern our customers since the equipment can also work with conventional SPME but take advantage of the Intuvo GC part and MS / MS detection.
Now that you are ready for the precise and rapid control of our products, you will be a great ally in our projects since our objective is to guarantee not only the absence of haloanisols in our products but also of any sensory deviation in an effective and fast way.
Is it the most reliable technology, together with the sniffing machine with manual detection?
Within our lines of research, we have different research projects to find the most efficient and accurate current technology in the detection and elimination of sensory deviations.
Our conclusion is that plug-to-plug control technology with automatic detection does not meet our demands and is less reliable than manual detection since we manually reach lower detection levels and also eliminate any deviation. That is why we invested in a sniffing machine with manual detection and we have formed part of our team to be able to use it optimally.
The SPME Arrow – GC Intuvo – MS / MS chromatograph is the ideal complement to the chromatograph that we already had since it incorporates the speed that traditional technology does not give us, maximum precision, and a speed that cannot be achieved with any other technology. According to our studies, there is no other equipment on the market today that gives such reliable results in 5 minutes of analysis.
Are there more wine stopper companies in Spain that have this technology?
Well, the truth is that I do not have the perception that there is any other company in the sector that manufactures natural plugs and that has this innovative technology, but if I have to be honest, the philosophy of J · Vigas is to continue our path by starting up what the conclusions of our R + D + I projects tell us.
It is one of the great strengths of our family business, the Vigas family is directly involved in R + D + I projects, which is why they have it as one of the strategic lines of the company.