South Australian researchers looking to make more alcohol out of wine waste product

Improving the processing of wine waste to produce more alcohol is the focus of new research at South Australia's University of Adelaide.

Grape marc is a mix of grape skins, seeds and stalks and researchers
are looking at improving the way of processing it (Picture: Rose Grant)

Researchers are looking at ways to make the processing of grape marc; the solid waste left after crushing the juice from grapes, more sustainable. 

Dr Ravichandra Potumarthi, said it is estimated that several hundred-thousand tonnes of grape marc is generated every year.

He said processing methods need to be more efficient to help the industry make better use of the by-product.

"This alcohol from the waste can be used for making fortified wines or spirits, such as brandy, after distillation," he said.

"So basically we can produce a beverage drink out of this fermentation process"

He said the main aim is to make the processing of grape marc more sustainable.

"At this moment no real clear picture is available about how grape marc is being used after the winemaking process," he said.

"But to my understanding a large quantity of grape marc is being processed at a distillery to make alcohol and that is what we are looking into."

Source: ABC Rural News, Brooke Neindorf, July 14^th 2015