Quality control checks at bottling, examples Flashcards
Pre-bottling QC checks
Gallo: set up and QC sign off are required before line can run
DO and bag-in-box
1 mg/L of DO reduces the shelf life of a bag-in-box by 1 month.
Alcohol and labels (USA and EU)
USA: +-1.5% for under 14%, +-1% for over 14%
EU: +-0.5%
Alcohol checks (2)
Cline/Jacuzzi, Sonoma: runs ABV when pulling first sample on the run, ensures that sanitation water has been flushed from the line and is not diluting wine.
Accolade Park, Bristol: pulls first 100 bottles off of line and runs ABV to ensure undiluted wine.
Microbiology (2)
Zoran Ljepović, Constellation Brands QA/QC Manager, “fully dressed” bottles should be taken for microbial stability. Hold all product until sterility confirmed.
Accolade Park: same
Glass (2)
Gallo: the only critical control point at bottling is glass.
Marks & Spencer private brands: Glass at bottling is most important CCP. Critical control points – constantly checking filler heads (every 20 mins), taking bottles off and inspecting.
Glass recall (3)
Japan: Suntory recalls part Redwood Creek wines (Gallo) due to glass chips.
Australia + New Zealand: current recall of 2017 Warburn Estate wines due to glass chips.
UK: Distell (ZA) recalls bottles in Morrisons, Tesco, and Waitrose due to glass, 2015.`
Closure
Gallo: the can double seam is difficult to crip, main failure point
Closures should be tight but not too tight! Emma Dawson MW - problem at Sainsbury or M&S with customers injuring themselves from too-tight screwcaps.
Saint Clair, NZ: had issues with the seal between cap and the rest of the capsule not breaking, causing the entire closure to come off when using luxe screw caps. This has resulted in the decision to revert to standard screw caps.
Cork vacuum (2)
Gravity House Wine, Sonoma: targets 0 to -3 Hg
Signature Mobile Bottlers, Pacific NW: does the same
