Researchers work to create hypoallergenic wines

ScienceDaily (July 12, 2012) - For centuries, people made wine by stomping grapes with their bare feet. But now, the art of winemaking is going high-tech at The University of British Columbia's Wine Research Centre.

Have you ever gotten a headache or a rash from a single glass of wine? Has one glass of Merlot or Shiraz resulted in a painful hangover? If yes, you may be one of the 30 percent of people who are allergic to (or intolerant of) compounds that are in some of the world's most popular wines.

A team of researchers at UBC's Wine Research Centre -- which has received funding from the Government of Canada through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) -- is working to resolve the allergic reaction some people have to wine. The research team has created a strain of yeast that prevents allergic reactions, producing a wine that is hypoallergenic and can be enjoyed by everyone. The yeast developed at the Wine Research Centre is now being used by some of the most recognizable vintages produced in Canada and the United States.

Read the full article here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120712092614.htm