Wine + Health 2: Wine Additives: What They Are And How They're Used With Creina Stockley PhD

Why do winemakers add chemicals to wine? Are these additives dangerous? How do we know? And why do winemakers take the risk?

The person who knows more about this topic than almost anybody alive is pharmacologist and toxicologist Creina Stockley, who has been not just in research, but in the regulatory process. In this episode, she delves into the use of additives and processing aids in winemaking, and explains how they’re developed, why winemakers use them, and what it takes to get them through the regulatory process. 

Health policy

Creina has also had a front seat to worldwide discussions about wine and health, from the uprush of research in the 1990s, to the current situation. She discusses the politics of research and funding, and how we know what we do about the impact of wine and other alcohol on human health.

The conversation covers:

1. What additives and processing aids are, and why they are used.
2. How additives and processing aids get regulatory approval.
3. The impact on human health.
4. Alcohol consumption guidelines
5. Role of epidemiological studies
6. Cultural differences in alcohol consumption
7. How the focus of research shifted