Exploiting flow-based separation techniques for sample handling in wine analysis

Wine is a fermented product consumed in a large scale all over the world that therefore has a large impact both economic and food safety terms. The analytical control of the final product is thus of high importance; it is not a simple task given that the chemical composition of wine is very variable and complex. Consequently, there is always the need for some sample pre-treatment prior to analysis. Flow-based analyses are known for their efficiency in sample manipulation and can be easily coupled to other techniques, such as separation techniques, namely membrane-based or extraction procedures. This possibility is an important step when dealing with complex matrices, such as wine samples. This review presents the state of the art of the methodologies that were developed using flow-based systems coupled to separation devices applied to wine analysis, namely membrane-based, solid, and liquid phase extraction and low pressure chromatography separations.