| When UC Berkeley Professor Richard Mathies | | | | Mathies, which also suffers adverse reactions |
| began prototyping the Mars Organic Analyzer | | | | from consuming wine, discovered that the MOA |
| (MOA), he never expected it would help millions of | | | | would be the perfect instrument to detect |
| wine drinkers that suffer adverse reactions from | | | | amino-based compounds in wine. During his |
| consuming red wine. | | | | experiment in collaboration with Kent Rosenblum, |
| Funded through NASA, Mathies set out to develop | | | | the proprietor of Rosenblum Cellars discovered |
| an instrument to detect life on Mars. His MOA | | | | that Amino-based compounds naturally turn up |
| prototype analyzes Martian soil samples to find a | | | | during malolactic fermentation, which is a |
| broad class of molecules like organic sugars, | | | | secondary fermentation process used to produce |
| amines and amino acids, which are key | | | | red wine. |
| components for detecting life on the planet. | | | | The malolactic fermentation process kindles |
| Many of you are probably asking how this all ties | | | | Tyramines and histamines, which typically cause |
| into wine and why you would care. Consisting of | | | | adverse reactions for many wine drinkers. |
| many minor components, wine consists of many | | | | "Merlots seem to be particularly high, [in Tyramine |
| amino-based compounds including Tyramines and | | | | components]" Mathies says, "but at this point we |
| Histamines, which can trigger a wide range of | | | | haven't done a sufficiently conclusive study to |
| symptoms from nausea, headaches and hot | | | | figure out whether some varietals, or wines from |
| flashes to respiratory disorders and high-blood | | | | specific wineries, are consistently more |
| pressure for many wine drinkers. If you are one | | | | tyramine-laden than others". The good news is |
| of many individuals that suffer adverse | | | | that once Mathies organizes additional funding, he |
| symptoms, help may be on the horizon. | | | | intends to continue his research in this area. |
| Until now, those that suffer are probably better | | | | So does this mean that individuals that suffer |
| off not drinking at all, or at the very least should | | | | reactions from drinking wine are out of luck? |
| take a few precautionary steps to reduce the | | | | Simply put, either drink wine and suffer the |
| aftermath. Besides reducing intake and drinking | | | | consequences, or simply stop drinking wine? Well, |
| plenty of water, cut back on foods rich in | | | | not exactly. |
| Tyramines such as aged cheeses, grapes, figs, | | | | Although the MOA prototype is only used in the |
| pineapple, plums, dried fruits, avocados, shrimp | | | | laboratory now, Mathies hopes to create a |
| sauces, processed & cured meats (e.g. | | | | handheld home device for consumer use, which |
| prosciutto, salami and pastrami), soy & | | | | will come in handy to test foods and beverages |
| teriyaki sauces, nuts, and chocolate. | | | | at home or while dining at a restaurant. For many, |
| Tannins may sometimes cause a release of | | | | "Having a quick testing kit could ultimately save |
| serotonin, which can cause headaches for people | | | | lives", suggests Mathies. So when will it be |
| that typically suffer migraines, so selecting less | | | | available? Mathies predicts an analyzer of this type |
| tannic wines like French Burgundy, Dolcetto, | | | | should be available in a couple of years from a |
| Barbera, Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and Tempranillo also | | | | new company called Microchip Biotechnologies Inc. |
| reduce symptoms. | | | | located in Dublin, California. |
| Above all, you should always opt for premium | | | | As for the Mars MOA, NASA has transitioned the |
| wines, which are much less likely to have | | | | analyzer into the flight build process so they are |
| impurities in them. | | | | now starting to build hardware for the various |
| So why don't we simply look for a wine that is | | | | engineering and flight versions. For more |
| free of amino-based compounds? Like sulfite-free | | | | information about the continuing development of |
| wine, it does not exist. | | | | this project, visit the astrobiology.berkeley.edu site. |