The Faculty of Biotechnology (ESB) of the Catholic University-Porto has been conducting several studies that show that wine is a factor reducing the risk associated with intoxications caused by eating contaminated food. The current investigation demonstrates that the viability of the infectious organisms is strongly affected when they are exposed directly to the action of wine due to antimicrobial properties present. It is assumed therefore that a moderate intake of wine with a meal can contribute to reducing – the level below the minimum dose of infection – the number of pathogenic bacteria present in contaminated food.

Following these comments, the ESB has evaluated this effect in contaminated food and under conditions representative of the gastrointestinal system. Experiments in vitro with ESB Listeria, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni and showed that the presence of wine, together with the action of gastric juice has a significant cell inactivating effect and contributes to reducing the number of viable cells of these pathogenic bacteria.

The rate and extent of inactivation depends, however, on the food matrix due to the known role of microbial protection conferred by certain food components. Also the mechanisms responsible for the antimicrobial effect of wine are not completely understood. Other studies show that this effect results from a complex combination of factors / components of wine which act