Antimicrobial lees

Details Antimicrobial lees Antimicrobial lees

1999-08-17

2003-04-15

Levy, Neil S. (Department: 1616)

Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions

Preparations characterized by special physical form

Biocides; animal or insect repellents or attractants

C424S409000, C424S419000, C424S766000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06548076

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present application concerns natural products and more especially valuable materials that can be derived from the byproducts of vinification.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently there is a growing concern on the part of the public that our modern diet of highly processed and refined foods is “missing some essential components” necessary for health and well-being. This “natural food” movement probably derives from at least two sources. First is the discovery of vitamins over the last three quarter's of a century, and the public realization that consumption of apparently adequate food can actually result in a serious deficiency syndrome. It is not hard to imagine that the already discovered vitamins, which are now added back to our refined foods, are but the tip of the iceberg. That is, many other vitamin-like substances may remain to be discovered meaning that our food is presently dangerously deficient in essential nutrients.
Second is the realization that consumption of certain foods—in particular animal fats—seems to result in significant heart and vascular disease. Not only has the public come to learn that apparently complete foods are lacking a key ingredient, but the public has also learned that apparently innocuous and much favored foods are actually silent killers. The question in the public mind is “why did fatty foods suddenly become so deadly?” One answer is that fatty foods have always been harmful but that people didn't used to consume so much of them. Another answer is that lack of physical activity exacerbates the damage caused by fatty food—the American public certainly appears to have grown more sedentary as compared to Americans a century ago. However, the picture is convoluted by certain groups of people that appear to be immune to the dangers of fatty diets.
For example, some Europeans, particularly of Mediterranean origin, appear to consume diets high in fatty foods with little or no medical consequences. Some experts believe this appearance is actually an artifact of relative recent dietary changes that have not yet “caught up” with Europeans. Under this scenario incidence of heart disease should soon increase sharply in those European areas. Other experts believe that “good fat” (e.g., monounsaturated olive oil) neutralizes the other fat in the European diet. This has sparked an olive oil fad in the United States. While the result is undoubtedly widespread culinary improvement, there is as yet no evidence of positive medical consequences. Finally, there is the “red wine connection”: many Europeans consume a considerable quantity of red wine, and some experts have opined that a constituent in red wine acts to neutralize the deleterious effects of a fatty diet.
Although some believe that the alcohol in wine is the source of its apparently beneficial properties, it does appear that red wine is more beneficial than white wine. Since both drinks have about the same level of alcohol, one naturally comes to suspect that the coloring component of the wine is the source of the beneficial properties. It is known that the polyphenolic pigments and tannins present in red wine (but largely missing from white wine) are powerful antioxidants. There is already something of an “antioxidant fad” going on in the field of dietary supplements where many people are consuming vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and various plant polyphenols in hopes of reducing oxidative damage and the presumed aging effects thereof. Thus, the antioxidant properties of red wine falls right into place with this trend although it has not been proven that antioxidant per se are the source of the beneficial properties of red wine.
Therefore, there is a considerable need for providing the apparent benefits of red wine without increasing the public's consumption of alcohol and at a fairly modest expense.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention involves the discovery that the lees or “dregs” produced during wine making are rich sources of antioxidants. Unexpectedly these materials also show significant antibacterial properties as well as antioxidant properties. The lees of red wine which consist of tannins and plant pigments precipitated around crystals of potassium tartarate can advantageously be used directly as a tonic or demulcent. The material can also be used topically. In addition, it is possible to use organic polymers to bind the pigments and/or solubilize them from the tartaric salt to facilitate their use or to make a relatively pure pigment/tannin component.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2159953 (1939-05-01), Proetto
patent: 3725341 (1973-04-01), Queuille et al.
patent: 3852490 (1974-12-01), John
patent: 4851392 (1989-07-01), Shaw et al.
Americ et al Technology of Wine Making pp 542-545, 643-649, 1980.

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