Musty Wine Taint Uncorked

The compound known for causing cork taint that generates off-flavors in wines doesn’t work quite the way scientists thought, researchers have found. 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (TCA) has long been the bane of vintners’ existence—it is generated by mold growing in contaminated corks and leads to a musty smell and taste. Researchers would expect a stinky substance such as TCA to activate specific types of olfactory cells. To the surprise of researchers in Japan, however, TCA suppresses cell signaling instead, even at attomolar concentrations (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2013, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1300764110). Hiroko Takeuchi and Takashi Kurahashi of Osaka University investigated the phenomenon with Hiroyuki Kato of Daiwa Can Co., a manufacturer of packaging products used by companies such as Sapporo Breweries and Starbucks. TCA blocks a specific type of protein ion channel, they find. The team detected TCA in many foods and beverages, including peanuts, chicken, and sake. They suggest that the compound might lead to spoilage of these and other food and drink as well. They are not yet sure how TCA’s newfound smell-suppression mechanism leads to the perception of mustiness.