Sharpening the double-edged sword

Wine is one of those nutritional double-edged swords: Small amounts appear to have heart-healthy antioxidant benefits. But the alcohol-factor certainly doesn't make it a standout recommendation for most doctors. Neither does its content of a carcinogenic compound called ethyl carbamate. One of those drawbacks could soon change, though, if an innovation from the University of British Columbia's Wine Research Center pans out.

Researchers there have been working on developing genetically modified strains of yeast that will reduce levels of ethyl carbamate formed during wine production. The yeast typically used in the wine fermentation process feeds on the arginine found in grape juice. As the yeast metabolizes the arginine, it produces urea, which eventually gets released into the wine, where it reacts with the alcohol to form ethyl carbamate.

The new strains of yeast, however, may be able to reduce the levels of ethyl carbamate formed in red wine by as much as 89 percent.

Ethyl carbamate is also found in foods like bread, yogurt, and soy products, so if the results of this preliminary trial are any indicator, it could be great news for wine drinkers and teetotalers alike.

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