AU2006264743A1 - Use of a fungal biomass extract as technological additive for treating food-grade liquids - Google Patents

Description

VERIFICATION OF TRANSLATION I, the undersigned, Marie-Claude NIEPS of Cabinet Beau de Lomenie, 158 Rue de l'Universite, 75340 Paris Cedex 07, France, declare as follows : 1. That I am well acquainted with both the English and French languages, and 2. That the attached document is a true and correct translation made by me to the best of my knowledge and belief of: (a) The specification of International Bureau pamphlet numbered WO 2007/003863 International Application N* PCT/FR2006/050674 of July 4, 2006 Paris, DECEMBER 20, 2007 Signature (No witness required) 1 PCT/FR2006/050674 Use of a fungal biomass extract as technological additive for treating food-grade liquids The invention relates to the treatment of food-grade liquids with a 5 technological additive extracted from fungal biomass. In the field of treating food-grade liquids, especially treating food-grade liquids obtained from plants, for instance fruit juices or fermented drinks, and in particular wines, champagnes, beers or ciders, it is known practice to treat the product to be obtained with technological additives in order to remove 10 undesirable compounds, which are especially the cause of instability and of dietary risks, or to adjust its composition. It is especially known practice to use compounds such as bentonite, kaolin, PVPP, a food-grade gelatin, a fish paste, casein and potassium caseinate, ovalbumin, lactalbumin, silicon dioxide in gel or colloidal solution form, etc., for 15 treating food-grade liquids, such as those mentioned above. Mycotoxins, and in particular ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins, are now systematically controlled in food and drinks since their toxic effects have been demonstrated (nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, immunodeficiency, suspected carcinogenicity). It is nowadays recommended not to exceed a daily dose of 20 mycotoxins of 0.3-0.9 pg/day. Until the limit becomes set by a European directive, the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) [International Office of Wine and Grape] recommends not exceeding a content of 2 pg/l in wines. Laboratory- and vineyard-based experiments have moreover explored the 25 biological control route, by means of Trichoderma, the antagonist fungus of Aspergilus carbonarius. Three times less contamination has been observed. However, the results really depend on the strain of OTA. The means for controlling the OTA amount essentially to prophylaxis at the vineyard, with the drawback of seeing pesticide residues and metabolites arise in the grapes and 30 musts. Few solutions have emerged at the present time, especially in oenology. If the grapes are contaminated, then in vinification, the OTA content increases 2 PCT/FR2006/050674 during maceration. The OTA content depends on the alcoholic degree. Alcohol is a solvent for the OTA molecule and dissolves it in wine. For red wine, thermovinification does indeed appear to be advantageous, although complementary studies on optimizing the heating of the grape harvest still need 5 to be performed (heating time, temperature, flash vacuum-expansion). Microbiological investigations distinguish oenology disinfection products that are more efficient than others, but with very high costs and risks of nonselectivity (removal of the yeast/bacterial strains that are useful for alcoholic or malolactic fermentation). As regards the use of oenological additives such as silica gel, 10 oenological charcoal, potassium caseinate, gelatin or bentonites, the results are not very conclusive since they remove very little OTA (apart from oenological charcoal and potassium caseinate) and lead to major drawbacks. All these products are liable to result in the appearance of allergenic residues, especially in musts and wines. 15 The use of oenological charcoal has the major drawback of removing all the phenolic compounds (anthocyans and tannins in particular). The phenolic compounds are essential as constituents that condition the color and the sensory perception of wines and other drinks obtained especially by fermentation. Silica gels and gelatin are entirely inefficient as regards removing OTA 20 and are normally used for performing clarification with the aid of tannins in order to clarify musts or wines (to remove proteins or to soften). Uses of excessively high doses of these oenological products have the major drawback of resulting in protein breakage in the case of gelatin and of leading to high risks of substantial loss of polyphenols as regards silica gels. 25 As regards bentonites, they are used for the clarification or protein stabilization operations on musts and wines, and bind certain unstable proteins to allow their removal. They are also capable of binding coloring matter. However, studies have shown that they release high levels of aluminum in musts and wines. A high input of aluminum into the food ration is liable to have public 30 health repercussions regarding degenerative diseases.

PCT/FR2006/050674 Moreover, several constraints exist during oenological treatments on must or wine : For the destaining of white musts and white wine, the use of oenological charcoal has the major drawback of removing all the phenolic compounds 5 (anthocyans and tannins in particular). Appendix IV of EC regulation 1493/1999 provides for the treatment of white musts, new white wines still in fermentation and white wines with charcoals for oenological use, with certain limitations (§ 1 paragraph i and § 3 paragraph o). Although the European Community regulation does not explicitly specify the purpose of this treatment, it can be performed 10 only for destaining white vine-growing and wine-making products and must in no way be used to deodorize wines with an obvious poor taste. Specifically, it provides that the treatments can be performed only in order to allow good vinification or good storage of the products under consideration (Art. 42 of Rule EC 1493/1999). Thus, active charcoal is unsatisfactory for solving the technical 15 problems posed below. As regards the current iron-removal treatments of wines, the maximum copper content set by the ON is 1 mg/I. For iron, the risk of iron breakage occurs at above a content of about 8 mg/. The iron removal consists in removing the excess iron liable to cause iron breakage, which results in a cloudy 20 appearance unfit for consumption. The presence of an excess of iron is often due to a vat in poor condition or to particles of earth present on the grapes during harvesting. The addition products for treated wines are potassium ferricyanide (white and rose wine) and calcium phytate (red wine). For treatment with potassium ferricyanide, there are nowadays technical, 25 administrative and analytical constraints. In particular, the total removal of potassium ferricyanide must be controlled on the wine after treatment : this is long, expensive and meticulous with implications in terms of food safety and public health. For treatment with calcium phytate, there are again constraints 30 concerning the analytical and administrative controls of the treatment that are the responsibility of the oenologist : 4 PCT/FR2006/050674 - treatment under the mandatory control of an oenologist, - after treatment, the wine should still contain traces of iron, - provisions regarding the control of the use of phytate decreed or to be decreed by each member state. 5 As regards the presence of heavy metals in wines, the maximum content of heavy metals in wines is governed by the OIV. The lead level has been set at 200 pg/I since 1996, and the cadmium level at 10 pg/I since 1981. Treatment with potassium ferricyanide can also remove traces of heavy metals. It is also possible to remove major and heavy metals indirectly by means 10 of electrodialysis or a cation-exchange resin. However, this process is complicated to implement and is not accessible to all producers, since it is expensive. Moreover, this process is not authorized in all countries. Moreover, purity criteria for the technological additives in oenology are established. Oenological products are manufacturing additives or additives. In 15 this respect, they should satisfy the purity criteria defined by the regulation when such is the case. Certain products are not, are no longer or are poorly defined this is the case, for example, for charcoals and tannins. During vinification, clarification, stabilization, specific treatments, storage or filtration operations, many oenological, additive and media-filtering products, 20 or specific treatments are used, and products for curative purposes are generally involved above all, making it possible to overcome certain problems during the 6levage of wines. The following are mainly encountered : - iron-removing products, for instance potassium ferricyanide for white wines, and phytate-based Afferol for red wines ; 25 - products intended to remove oxidation products, for example soluble casein, Case + (potassium caseinate), Polylact (PVPP, Casein) or Viniclar (PVPP)); - bentonites to remove any excesses of proteins, for example powdered or granulated Microcol. The agents permitted for treating food-grade liquids are known to those 30 skilled in the art and are referenced by the national legislations, for instance the 5 PCT/FR2006/050674 agents authorized to treat wines and fruit juices in the USA (27CFR24.246) or in Europe (EC Rule 1493/1999 and EC 1622/2000). Among these compounds, some of them are unsuitable for treating various types of food-grade liquids, for instance various wines, various beers, 5 various champagnes, etc., or are unsuitable for withdrawing the various compounds to be removed. The technological additives mentioned above should be used relatively specifically as a function of the beverage to be treated. Thus, for example, for two different wines, it will be necessary to use different technological additives 10 during the treatment. For example, to produce a white wine, clarification of the must will be performed with bentonite or fish paste after pressing in order to remove must deposits and proteins. On the other hand, in the case of a red wine, PVPP may be used, which binds the polyphenols of the wines, for example to produce young primeur wines. 15 Similarly, for two different steps of the process of treatment of the same beverage, it will be necessary to use two different technological additives, which especially poses problems of storage, labeling and use. For example, removal of the oxidation products is performed with casein or PVPP, but removal of the coloring phenolic matter is performed with oenological charcoal, and pectolytic 20 enzymes are used to degrade pectins. Bentonite is not used, for example, at the present time for treating the finished product (storage, bottling or elevage). Moreover, the known technological additives have the risk of deteriorating the organoleptic properties, which is detrimental to the finished beverage, in particular as regards beverages obtained from plants, for instance beers, wines, 25 champagnes, ciders and fruit juices. It is known practice especially from patent applications FR 2 599 048 and EP 0 501 381 to use chitosan for treating food-grade liquids of plant origin. The teaching of Spagna et al. (Spagna Giovanni et al. "The stabilization of white wines by absorption of phenolic compounds on chitin and chitosan", Food 30 research International, Applied Science, Barking, Vol. 29, No.3-4, 1996, pages 241-248) also describes the removal of the polyphenols from a white wine by 6 PCT/FR2006/050674 using chitosan. The use of chitin is also described, but, according to said article, is not suitable for removing polyphenols. However, the use of chitosan has the drawback that almost all the commercially available chitosan is of animal origin, and thus presents risks of allergies. Commercially available chitosan is mainly 5 derived from the shell of crustaceans (shrimp, crab or lobster). Specifically, chitosan is a polysaccharide that has demonstrated its capacity to clarify and stabilize food-grade liquids, and that is commercially available, but only for home and nonindustrial uses as an additive for the home manufacture of wine and beer. The use of this chitosan of animal origin as a technological additive for the 10 treatment and stabilization of food-grade liquids poses at least two problems. On the one hand, technological additives of animal origin are not in favor with the majority of producers of food-grade liquids, and should or will have to be systematically cited on the labeling as stipulated by the legislations in force or under preparation. On the other hand, extracts of crustaceans are not 15 recommended for people who are allergic to crustaceans, who are warned on the labeling. It should be borne in mind that allergy to crustaceans is one of the commonest allergies (3% of adults in the USA according to a recent study). Patent application WO 98/17386 concerns a method for removing only the pesticides from fruit juices by especially using chitin or chitosan derivatives. 20 However, in this case also, the compounds used and described by the invention are of animal origin. Patent application WO 98/17386 concerns a method for removing pesticides and/or agricultural chemicals from food-grade liquids and non foodstuffs. Reference is made in said application to chitin and chitosan, but no 25 example is given concerning these compounds. The compounds used in the examples of said patent application concern derivatives of the type such as alkyl esters or aryl esters of chitin, of polysaccharides or of chitosan. Although these hydrophobic compounds of the octanoyl- or benzoyl-chitin type allow the removal of pesticides, which are molecules of lipophilic nature, it is not obvious, 30 without additional experience, that chitin alone would have made it possible to remove the pesticides. Moreover, it is not possible to extrapolate the treatment 7 PCT/FR2006/050674 described in said patent application to the removal of other molecules such as proteins, polyphenols, mycotoxins, metals, etc., which molecules are present in food-grade liquids of plant origin. Thus, said document does not describe a technological additive that allows the treatment of food-grade liquids of plant 5 origin without substantially deteriorating their organoleptic properties. Patent application DE 198 10 094 (US 6 402 953) describes the use of chitin or chitosan of fungal origin for treating radioactive contaminants of aqueous solution, especially for removing therefrom heavy metals such as cesium, uranium, plutonium, etc. Said patent application is thus very remote 10 from the technical field of the present invention, which concerns the treatment of food-grade liquids of plant origin. Moreover, in the light of the process for obtaining the "absorbent" described in the examples, the chitin-based material of fungal origin described in said document is not pure, in the sense that it runs the risk of resulting in the release of residues that are soluble in the treated food 15 grade liquid, which runs counter to the objective of the present invention. This impure compound would allow water to be treated, but would not really be suitable for treating food-grade liquids of plant origin, which especially comprise proteins, polyphenols, metals or mycotoxins, in order especially to conserve and/or to not impair their organoleptic properties. 20 Thus, the prior art cannot provide a technological additive for treating food grade liquids of plant origin, since either the additive has the risk of substantially deteriorating the organoleptic properties by releasing residues, or it has the risk of impairing the organoleptic properties by removing beneficial compounds, or it is unsuitable for food use because it is of animal origin, which is generally 25 undesirable. AIMS OF THE INVENTION 30 Thus, the main aim of the invention is to solve the technical problem that consists in providing a technological additive for treating food-grade liquids in 8 PCT/FR2006/050674 particular of plant origin, in particular such as fermented beverages (wines, beer, champagne, ciders, etc.), spirits (whisky, brandy, etc.) and fruit juices, without substantially deteriorating their organoleptic properties. The inventors have also sought to provide a technological additive that 5 exhibits irreproachable food safety, while at the same time being available in large volume and at a cost that is compatible with the practices for producing food-grade liquids. The inventors have also sought to provide a high-quality, non-animal technological additive of natural origin that has excellent traceability. 10 The aim of the invention is also to solve the technical problem that consists in providing a technological additive for stabilizing finished food-grade liquids, while at the same time preserving their organoleptic properties. The aim of the invention is to solve the technical problem that consists in providing a technological additive for decontaminating finished food-grade 15 liquids, especially for obtaining impurity contents below the levels defined by the legislation in force, in particular for wines, champagnes, ciders and beers. The aim of the invention is to solve the technical problem that consists in providing a technological additive for clarifying finished food-grade liquids. The aim of the present invention is especially to solve the problems 20 defined above, especially as regards the treatment of wines, red wines and/or white wines and/or rose wines and/or natural sweet wines. The aim of the present invention is also to provide a single technological additive for performing various steps of the treatment of a beverage, and preferably of wine, champagne, cider or beer. The aim of the present invention is 25 also to provide a technological additive that can be used for different wines, champagnes, ciders, beers, etc. Finally, the aim of the present invention is to solve all the technical problems mentioned above in a reliable, inexpensive and industrially usable manner, and especially less expensively and more viably than by using a non 30 animal chitosan.

9 PCT/FR2006/050674 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION There existed in the technical field the preconception that a technological additive for treating food-grade liquids, especially food-grade liquids of plant 5 origin possibly obtained by alcoholic fermentation, preferably wines, beers, champagnes, ciders and fruit juices, should be advantageously charged, especially positively charged. Thus, to solve the technical problems listed above, a person skilled in the art who would have had the idea of using a natural polymer of non-animal origin 10 might have used chitosan of plant origin to perform the treatment of food-grade liquids, since chitosan is a cationic polymer and can therefore capture anionically charged undesirable compounds. Specifically, the present inventors have already invented a process for producing chitosan of non-animal origin, from plant sources, more particularly of fungal origin and more particularly from a fungus of 15 Aspergi/us niger type. However, the inventors have discovered, surprisingly, that chitosan is not the best indicated polymer accessible via the process described in international patent application WO 03/068 824 for clarifying and/or stabilizing food-grade liquids. Surprisingly, the present inventors have discovered that an extract of 20 fungal biomass predominantly comprising at least one nonionic polysaccharide may be used very satisfactorily in the treatment of food-grade liquids, especially food-grade liquids of plant origin, possibly obtained by alcoholic fermentation, and preferably wines, beers, champagnes, ciders and fruit juices. Thus, the present invention relates to the use of an extract of fungal 25 biomass predominantly comprising at least one nonionic polysaccharide, as a technological additive for treating food-grade liquids, especially food-grade liquids of plant origin, possibly obtained by alcoholic fermentation, and preferably wines. By the term "technological additive" the inventors mean any substance 30 not consumed as a food ingredient per se or deliberately used in the transformation of raw materials and possibly having as a result the unintentional 10 PCT/FR2006/050674 presence of technically inevitable residues of this substance or of derivatives thereof in the finished product. Technological additives especially do not form part of the ingredients of the food-grade liquid: they are used only during the preparation of the product to facilitate it, but are not included in the composition 5 of the finished product. By the term "treatment of food-grade liquids", preferably wines, the inventors especially mean any operation for stabilizing the liquid by removing the compounds responsible for cloudiness or instability over time, for making the liquid fit for consumption, especially by improving its appearance or taste, while 10 at the same time bringing the impurity levels below levels defined by the legislation in force. Examples of "food-grade liquids of plant origin" are fruit juices, and examples of "food-grade liquids of plant origin obtained by alcoholic fermentation" are fermented beverages (wines, beer, etc.) and spirits (whisky, 15 brandy, etc.). The food-grade liquids of plant origin that may be treated with the fungal extract of the present invention are not limited and are chosen, for example, from alcoholic beverages (wines, ciders, champagnes, etc.), liquers (liquer wines, port, fruit liquers, etc.), distilled beverages (cognac, gin, tequila, brandy, etc.), alcoholic beverages (pastis, cocktails, etc.), fruit juices (including 20 vegetables), soups, vinegars, including mixtures thereof, and a mixture of one of the abovementioned beverages of plant origin with another beverage of non plant origin to prepare a food-grade liquid mixture, for instance a mixture of milk and of fruit juice. Advantageously, the food-grade liquid of plant origin is chosen from a fermented beverage and a fruit juice. 25 By the expression "predominantly at least one nonionic polysaccharide" the inventors mean an extract comprising an effective amount of nonionic polysaccharide to be used as technological additive according to the present invention, present in the technological additive in an amount greater than that of the other compounds present. The amount of nonionic polysaccharide to be used 30 in the technological additive may be determined by a person skilled in the art, and is preferably greater than 70% by mass relative to the total mass of the total 11 PCT/FR2006/050674 technological additive, preferably greater than 75%, preferably greater than 80%, preferably greater than 85%, preferably greater than 90% and more preferably greater than 95%. The other compounds present in the technological additive do not act in the phenomenon of treatment of the food-grade liquid, and 5 it is therefore preferable to partially or totally remove them, which increases the capacity to treat the food-grade liquid at an equivalent dose. The additives behave especially like a layer of filtering material and are therefore not present in the final liquid. In general, the present invention using fungal extracts is very simple to 10 use. The fungal extract according to the present invention is preferably used in the form of a powder that flocculates by adsorbing the undesirable compounds. Its use is compatible with the practices used for treating food-grade liquids that are commonly used at the present time, does not require any special equipment, and is compatible with the usual price of the treatments used, in particular for 15 oenological treatments. They are therefore accessible to all producers. Thus, it is possible, for example, to use the fungal extracts according to the present invention at a concentration of between 1 g/hl and 1 kg/hl of liquid to be treated. Preferably, an amount of between 10 g and 500 g per hl of liquid to be treated and more preferably between 10 and 200 g/hl of liquid to be 20 treated is used. It is possible, for example, to add the fungal extract according to the present invention to the liquid to be treated contained in a tank, which is advantageously stirred to mix in the fungal extract. This operation may be performed at room temperature (20-25*C), but may also be performed under hot 25 or cold conditions within reasonable limits so as not to deteriorate the future beverage. This operation may be performed for a period of between a few hours and a few days, which is preferably adjusted by a person skilled in the art. Next, the fungal extract is advantageously separated form the liquid via methods known to those skilled in the art, for instance filtration or decantation. 30 The capacity for production of these fungal extracts, associated with the presence of a renewable fungal source, gives access to volumes that are 1Z PCT/FR2006/050674 compatible with the needs of the food industry, for instance for the production of wines, beers, champagnes, ciders or fruit juices. The fungal extract according to the present invention may be used in any step of the treatment of the food-grade liquid, and preferably in a maximum 5 number of steps of this treatment. Advantageously, the fungal extract according to the present invention allows the partial or total removal of undesirable compounds, which are the causes of instability or of health risks. Advantageously, the undesirable compounds are chosen from the group 10 consisting of colloids causing instability, colloids causing cloudiness, colloids that produce poor-quality organoleptic properties, proteins, metals, heavy metals, in particular copper, iron, cadmium and lead, residual pesticides, for instance fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, and toxins, for instance mycotoxins and bacterial endotoxins, and that their removal has the aim of improving the quality 15 of the food-grade liquid. Advantageously, the fungal extract according to the present invention allows the treatment of finished food-grade liquids (treatments after fermentation, for instance bottling or elevage). Thus, undesirable compounds in the food-grade liquid can be removed to 20 obtain a ready-to-drink beverage, or the composition of the liquid can be modified to obtain a beverage whose preferred composition (color, taste, etc.) is optimized. The advantage of using the fungal extracts proposed by the inventors is that they make it possible to obtain efficacy in particular in the treatment of 25 musts, wines and alcoholic beverages, to avoid iron breakage, to remove oxidation products, to remove possible biocides (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.) and/or proteins without substantially touching the other constituents of the food-grade liquid, for instance the phenolic compounds especially for wine, and while at the same time avoiding any risk of leaching of 30 residues, and any risk of allergenicity.

13 PCT/FR2006/050674 Another advantage of the fungal extracts is that they allow a reduction of the toxic contaminants of various beverages, for example musts, wines and spirits, etc., such as mycotoxins, heavy metals (lead, cadmium), major metals (iron) and pesticides. 5 In the context of the present invention, the technological additive is advantageously used for the treatment of beverages of plant origin, for instance fruit juices, wines and/or other beverages derived from fermentation, for instance beer, champagne or cider, and makes it possible especially: a) to remove soil particles; 10 b) to remove organic particles in order to reduce the phenol oxidase activity; c) to reduce the indigenous microbial flora; d) to reduce the colloid content and the turbidiy; e) optionally to reduce the presence of polyphenol compounds of the must in order to lower its astringency, before fermentation; 15 f) to remove the insoluble particles in the must; g) to facilitate the stripping of new wines via the partial precipitation of the excess protein matter; h) to perform a preventive treatment for protein and copper breakage; i) to correct the organoleptic properties of wines derived from musts impaired by 20 fungi, for instance rot or oidium; j) to remove possible contaminants; k) to correct the color: * of white musts obtained from red grapes giving white juice (possibly stained), 25 * of very yellow musts obtained from white grape varieties, e of oxidized musts; m) to reduce the indigenous population of microorganisms before the alcoholic fermentation for the subsequent inoculation of the selected yeasts; n) to precipitate the particles in suspension: either by promoting the free fall of 30 these particles, or by coagulating around the particles to be removed, entraining them into the sediments; 14 PCT/FR2006/050674 o) to soften red wines by removing some of their tannins and polyphenols; p) to clarify wines that are cloudy because of breakage, rising of the lees, insolubilization of coloring matter, etc.; q) to obtain clarity for the wine; 5 r) to obtain biological stability for the wine by removal of microorganisms (sterilizing filtration); s) to facilitate the stripping of new wines via the partial precipitation of the excess protein matter; t) to remove an excess of colloidal copper used during the treatment of wine 10 with copper sulfate pentahydrate to remove the poor taste and odor caused by hydrogen sulfide and possibly derivatives thereof; u) to remove the excess iron from the wine, preventing iron breakage by use with combined oxygenation; v) to prevent protein and copper breakage: to protect the wine against mild iron 15 breakage, to prevent the precipitation of substances such as coloring matter which, in wine, are in colloidal form; w) to fix the ferric ions and thus to reduce the tendency to iron breakage; x) to reduce the iron content of the wine in order to prevent iron breakage, or the copper content in order to prevent copper breakage, and more generally to 20 reduce the content of heavy metals; y) to prevent iron breakage in the case of iron-rich wines not containing an excess of copper; or z) to reduce the content of tannins and other polyphenols of the wine in order to combat the tendency towards browning, to reduce the astringency or to correct 25 the color of stained white wines. The technological additive according to the present invention is not an enzymatic preparation to be added to the must or wine in order to improve the filterability by enzymatic hydrolysis, especially by enzymatic hydrolysis of the pectins and/or glucans given to the must or wine by Botryts cinerea and/or 30 certain yeast strains.

15 PCT/FR2006/050674 According to one advantageous embodiment, the technological additive according to the present invention is used for treating a fermented alcohol, which is a liquid that is particularly difficult to treat while conserving its organoleptic properties. 5 According to one particular embodiment, the present invention relates to the use of an extract of fungal biomass for the clarification of a food-grade liquid of plant origin and preferably for the clarification of wine. By the term "clarification of wine" the inventors mean the separation, before or during fermentation, of the more or less clear liquid from the solid 10 matter in suspension in the must and/or wine using suitable additives. The additives used should comply with the legislations in force, and in the case of wine they should comply with the prescriptions of the Codex Oenologique International. The technological additives according to the present invention are 15 advantageously extracts of fungal biomasses predominantly comprising nonionic polysaccharides, advantageously predominantly comprising at least one chitin glucan copolymer. Advantageously, the nonionic polysaccharide predominantly comprises N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (chitin) and D-glucose (beta-glucan) units. 20 Preferably, the chitin-glucan copolymer is a copolymer that predominantly comprises macromolecular chains of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine units linked together preferably via alpha(1,6) bonds (commonly known as chitin) and macromolecular chains of D-glucose units linked together preferably via beta bonds (beta-glucan), for example of beta(1,3), beta(1,4), beta(1,3-1,4) or 25 beta(1,6) type, preferably with a chitin/glucan ratio ranging from 95:5 to 5:95, preferably from 70:30 to 20:80 and more preferably from 70:30 to 40:60 (m/m). These extracts are totally insoluble in food-grade liquids such as wine, beer, fruit juices, etc. Advantageously, the chitin-glucan copolymer is an (N-acetyl-D 30 glucosamine)-(D-glucose) copolymer.

16 PCT/FR2006/050674 Advantageously, the technological additives according to the present invention are obtained via the process described in international patent application WO 03/068 824 filed in the name of KitoZyme S.A. on 02.12.2003, which is incorporated herein entirely by reference. 5 The fungal extract may be obtained from non-animal sources, in particular from the cell wall of fungal mycelium of different groups, including Zygomycetes, Basidiomycetes, Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes and/or a mixture thereof, and preferably Ascomycetes. Aspergi//i belong to the last group. In one preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a method characterized in that the biomass 10 is chosen from the group consisting of filamentous fungi such as Aspergi/lium, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Saccharomyces, and Schizosaccharomyces, and edible fungi such as Agaricus, Pleurotus, Boletus, and Lentinula, and/or a mixture thereof. The common characteristic of these fungi is the presence of polysaccharides in their cell wall, preferentially chitin and/or beta-glucan. 15 According to one preferred embodiment, the fungal extracts are obtained from Aspergillus niger, in a very economically viable manner. The process according to the present invention comprises the placing in contact of the biomass with a basic solution, in which a fraction that is soluble in alkaline medium and a fraction that is insoluble in alkaline medium are obtained 20 and in which the fraction soluble in alkaline medium is discarded and the fraction insoluble in alkaline medium, which predominantly comprises nonionic polysaccharides, is retained. The fraction insoluble in alkaline medium predominantly comprises nonionic polysaccharides that advantageously comprise at least one chitin-glucan 25 copolymer. Advantageously, the alkaline solution used to digest the fungal biomass is an aqueous solution of an alkali metal, for instance sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide, and preferably sodium or potassium hydroxide. 30 Advantageously, the concentration of the alkaline reagent is preferably between 0.1% and 40% (m/v), preferably less than 10% and preferably less 17 PCT/FR2006/050674 than 1%. The reaction is performed at a temperature preferably ranging from 5 to 120 0 C, preferably less than 60 0 C and more preferably at room temperature. The biomass is reacted in suspension in an alkaline solution at a concentration preferably ranging from 1% to 15% (dry mass, m/v), preferably between 3% 5 and 12%. The reaction is preferably performed for less than 4 hours. The first extraction step makes it possible to remove the compounds that are soluble in alkaline medium, including the pigments, the proteins, some lipids and some polysaccharides other than the nonionic polysaccharides. Advantageously, at least some of the lipophilic compounds whose residues may be released into the 10 food-grade liquid, resulting in impairment of its taste, are removed. According to one preferred embodiment, the biomass may be treated with the first alkaline solution, filtered via a technique known to those skilled in the art, preferentially using a filter press, and treated again with a second alkaline solution at an alkaline reagent concentration equivalent to that of the 15 first step or different. Additional reagents may be used to improve the extraction of the polysaccharides desired for the present invention. Such reagents are preferably chosen from organic solvents, for example cyclohexane, ethyl acetate, methanol or ethanol; antifoams such as structol; surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate, poly(vinyl alcohol), Tween or a poloxamer; enzymatic 20 preparations containing carboxylesterase, carboxylic ester hydrolase, or triacylglycerol lipase, and bleaching agents, for instance hydrogen peroxide. A step prior to the alkaline treatment may consist of one or two rapid treatments in acidic medium, using a mineral acid. To isolate the product insoluble in alkaline medium from the cell biomass 25 that predominantly comprises nonionic polysaccharides of chitin-glucan type, the first step is followed by repeated washing with water, followed by filtration, a treatment for removing the lipid compounds using an organic solvent, for instance ethanol, filtration and drying. Preferably, the filtration is performed with a filter press. 30 To enrich with chitin the extract obtained, which initially predominantly comprised chitin and beta-glucan polysaccharides in the form of a copolymer, the 10 PCT/FR2006/050674 first step is followed, for example, by repeated washing with water, followed by other steps as described below. A chitin-rich polymer may thus be obtained. A second step of the process according to the present invention comprises the placing in contact of the fraction insoluble in alkaline medium with 5 an acidic solution, suspending said fraction insoluble in alkaline medium and bringing said suspended fraction into contact with the acidic solution so as to obtain an acidified suspension of the fraction insoluble in alkaline medium comprising the nonionic polysaccharides. After the last filtration step described above, the product insoluble in 10 alkaline medium may be suspended in water so as to obtain a concentration preferably of between 1% and 8% (m/v) and preferably between 1% and 5% of insoluble product suspended in water. Next, the pH of the aqueous suspension of product insoluble in alkaline medium is adjusted to below 7.0 by adding an acidic solution, preferably below 6.0 and preferably greater than 3.0. 15 The acidic solution is preferably an aqueous solution of an acid, for instance hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, glutamic acid, aspartic acid or glycolic acid, and preferably acetic acid. This step is preferably performed at a temperature of between 5 and 60 0 C and preferably below 30 0 C. A third step of the process according to the present invention comprises 20 the placing in contact of the acidified fraction insoluble in alkaline medium with at least one enzymatic preparation that is rich in enzymes of beta-glucanase activity, the beta-glucanase enzyme making it possible to obtain the extract of fungal biomass that predominantly comprises chitin-enriched nonionic polysaccharides. Advantageously, the method is characterized in that the 25 enzymatic preparations contain at least one enzyme of beta-glucanase activity chosen from the group of endo-beta-(1,3)-glucanase, exo.-beta-(1,3)-glucanase, beta-(1,3)(1,4)-glucanase or beta-(1,6)-glucanase activity, and any mixture thereof. Advantageously, a mixture of enzymes is added to the acidified 30 suspension of the fraction insoluble in alkaline medium to hydrolyze the beta glucan chains associated with chitin. The hydrolysis reaction is preferably 19 PCT/FR2006/050674 performed at a temperature of between 5 and 60 0 C and more preferably below 40 0 C. The reaction time is preferably less than 5 days. Preferred preparations are illustrated in patent application WO 03/068 824. Advantageously, the extract of fungal biomass comprises at least one 5 chitin-glucan copolymer, which is advantageously enriched in chitin. The chitin/glucan ratio may be readily adjusted by controlling the reaction conditions, especially by means of the beta-glucanase used and by the reaction time. It is possible, for example, to obtain a chitin-glucan copolymer comprising an amount of chitin (poly(N-acetyl-D-glucosamine)) of less than 60% by mass 10 relative to the total mass of the copolymer, preferably less than 50% and more preferably between 20% and 50%. This copolymer is especially obtained after the first treatment step with an alkaline solution. Examples for obtaining this copolymer are given in patent application WO 03/068 824, examples 1 and 2. It is also possible, for example, to obtain a chitin-glucan copolymer 15 comprising an amount of glucan (poly(D-glucose)) of less than 30% by mass relative to the total mass of the copolymer, and preferably less than 25%. This chitin-enriched polymer is obtained after the third step of treatment with an enzyme with beta-glucanase activity. Examples for obtaining this copolymer are given in patent application WO 03/068 824, examples 4 and 5. 20 The single figure is a schematic view of the process for extracting the nonionic polysaccharides and of the various extracts that may be used. The figure illustrates the main extracts that may be obtained from fungi. Reference is made here to the fungal extracts used in the examples, without 25 wishing to limit the scope of the invention. Thus, the extract F1 may be obtained by treating fungi with an alkaline solution, preferably at a concentration of less than 10%. The extract F4 is obtained by treating fungi with a first alkaline solution at a concentration preferably of less than 10%, followed by treatment with a second alkaline 30 solution at a concentration preferably greater than 10%. The extract F2 is 20 PCT/FR2006/050674 obtained by treating fungi with an alkaline solution, treatment with an acidic solution and treatment with an enzyme with beta-glucanase activity. Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly to those skilled in the art after reading the explanatory description, which 5 makes reference to examples that are given for purely illustrative purposes and cannot in any way be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. The examples form an integral part of the present invention and any characteristic that appears to be novel relative to any prior art from the description taken in its entirety, including the examples, forms an integral part of 10 the invention in its function and in its generality. Thus, each example has a general scope. Moreover, in the examples, all the percentages are given on a mass basis, unless otherwise indicated, and the temperature is expressed in degrees Celsius 15 unless otherwise indicated, and the pressure is atmospheric pressure, unless otherwise indicated. EXAMPLES 20 The processes for clarifying and treating the food-grade liquids by using extracts obtained from fungal biomasses are performed in the case of grape musts and red, white, ros6 and natural sweet wines, but are purely illustrative and do not in any way limit the scope of the protection sought. In particular, wines are beverages whose composition is very complex and "fragile". By 25 performing the treatment of wines with the fungal extract according to the present invention, the diversity of liquids that may be treated is illustrated. In the examples that follow, reference is made to fungal extracts F1, F2 and F4. These extracts are obtained in the following manner: 30 21 PCT/FR2006/050674 To prepare the fungal extract F1, a mass of 50 kg (dry weight) of wet Aspergi//us niger biomass is suspended in a hydrochloric acid solution at a concentration of 1%, and then filtered. The solid matter is then suspended in a 0.25% sodium hydroxide solution, and then filtered. The solid matter is washed 5 4 times with water, and then dried. It is then suspended in ethanol, and then filtered and dried. About 20 kg of material F1 are obtained. To prepare the fungal extract F2, a mass of 50 kg (dry weight) of wet Aspergillus niger biomass is suspended in a hydrochloric acid solution at a concentration of 10 1%, and then filtered. The solid matter is then suspended in a 0.25% sodium hydroxide solution, and then filtered. The solid matter is washed 4 times with water and then suspended in water. Glacial acetic acid is added to pH 5.3. 1 kg of enzymatic preparation rich in beta-glucanase is added, and the reaction is continued for 4 days at room temperature. The material is filtered off and then 15 suspended in ethanol in the presence of potassium hydroxide, at 60 0 C for 1 hour, and then filtered. The material is then suspended in ethanol, and then filtered off. The material consisting of the chitin-rich copolymer is then dried. About 8 kg of material F2 are obtained. 20 To prepare the fungal extract F4, a mass of 50 kg (dry weight) of wet Aspergillus niger biomass is suspended in a hydrochloric acid solution at a concentration of 1%, and then filtered. The solid matter is then suspended in a 0.25% sodium hydroxide solution, and then filtered off. The material is then placed in contact with a 30% concentrated sodium hydroxide solution at 100 0 C for 2 hours. It is 25 then washed several times with water, then suspended in ethanol, and then filtered off and dried. About 5 kg of material F4 are obtained. The molecular and purity characteristics of the fungal extracts are given in Table 1.

ZZ PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 1- Molecular and purity characteristics of the fungal extracts Chitin Beta-glucan Purity of the chitin-glucan as % of the chitin-glucan as % of the chitin-glucan copolymer copolymer copolymer as mass % of the fungal extract F1 46 54 97 F4 26 74 98 F2 78 22 97 In the examples that follow, reference is also made to products C1 and 5 F7, which are both chitosans, used in the form of solid powder. C1 is a commercially available chitosan of crustacean origin (Chitoclear LV, Primex, 99% purity, 16 mol% degree of acetylation, viscometric-average molecular mass 70 000). 10 F7 is a chitosan of fungal origin, obtained by deacetylation of a chitin-rich fungal extract (KitoZyme, 97% purity, 10 mol% degree of acetylation, viscometric-average molecular mass 10 000). EXAMPLE 1: Stabilization of red and white wine musts with a fungal 15 extract Red and white wine musts were treated by adding the fungal extracts F1, F2, F7 and C1 during fermentation. The fermentation was performed with a yeast S.cerevisiae Lalvin BM 45 at 22 0 C. The addition of a fungal extract at a dose of 10 or 50 g/hl is performed after 6 days, except for the control wine. The 20 fermentation is stopped 3 days later. For this study, 110 liters of red grape must of Grenache noir grape variety and 110 liters of white grape must of Grenache blanc grape variety obtained from the INRA de Pech Rouge, Gruissan (Aude) were used. These 110 liters of red or white must were separated into 11 tanks of 10 liters each. Each tank was 25 then supplied with yeast using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lalvin Li PCT/FR2006/050674 BM 45, with rehydration in warm water while incorporating nutrients (thiamine 60 mg/hl; ammonium phosphate 200 mg/I). The fermentation is performed at a temperature of 22 0 C and lasts for 9 days. After 6 days of fermentation, a dose of 10 g/hl or 50 g/hl of one of the 5 following compounds was added to the tanks: -fungal extract F2 -fungal extract F1 -chitosan F7 or C1 -fungal extract F4 10 The control tank receives no treatment. Fermentation is continued until it stops after depletion of the sugars arising from the treatments (3 days). During the fermentation, the temperature and density are measured daily in order to monitor the fermentation process. 15 The turbidity, the protein content and the concentration of polyphenolic compounds are assayed on the wines at the end of fermentation, as explained below. The turbidity is measured by turbidimetry, official method of the OIV 20 (Oeno Resolution 4/2000 - wine turbidity) and expressed in NTU (nephelometric turbidity units). The decrease in turbidity is measured by the official method of the OIV, Oeno Resolution 4/2000. This is a measurement of the reduction of the transparency of a liquid due to the presence of undissolved matter. The machine used is a Hach brand 2100N turbidimeter. The unit of measurement of the 25 turbidity index, NTU, corresponds to a measurement of the light scattered by a standard formazine suspension at an angle of 90* relative to the direction of the incident beam. The measurement should be performed at a temperature of between 15 and 25 0 C. 30 The protein content is assayed by the Bradford method, expressed in mg of proteins/I. The assay used for the removal of proteins is performed by 24 PCT/FR2006/050674 determining the protein-based nitrogen content in the wines (Bradford method, Bradford MM, Anal. Biochem., 1976, 72, 248-254). The Bradford method consists in reacting a sample of must with a reagent, the Bradford reagent. The protocol proceeds in two steps: in a first stage, 10 ml of must or wine are mixed with 5 10 ml of acetone. This mixture is cooled to -20 0 C for 30 minutes. This mixture is then centrifuged at 4000 rpm approximately for 10 minutes. Next, the acetone is separated out and the precipitate is redissolved with 1 ml of 0.1M sodium hydroxide and 4 ml of Bradford reagent. This mixture is adjusted to 10 ml with distilled water. After 15 minutes, the absorbance is read at 595 nm against a 10 blank containing 1 ml of 0.1M sodium hydroxide, 4 ml of Bradford reagent and 5 ml of distilled water. The concentration obtained is expressed in mg equivalent of bovine serum albumin/I. The total polyphenolic compound content (TPC) is determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalent (mg eq GAE/I). 15 The total polyphenolic compounds are analyzed according to the method described in "Singleton VL, Drapper DE, The transfer of phenolic compounds from grapes seeds into wine, J. Enol. Vitic. 1964, 15, 131-145". The Folin Ciocalteu method is based on a calorimetric reaction whose response depends on the phenolic compounds present in the analyzed phenolic extracts. The 20 development of the coloration depends on the number of hydroxyl groups or of potentially oxidizable groups. The phenolic groups must be in phenoxide form to result in the oxidation of the phosphotungstic and phosphomolybdic anions present in the reagent. In practice, 200 pl of 5-fold diluted red wine, or 200 pl of white wine are introduced into a 20 ml flask. 1 ml of Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, 25 12 ml of distilled water and 4 ml of Na 2

CO

3 (at 20%) are added. The mixture is adjusted to the graduation mark with distilled water. The absorbance is determined after 30 minutes using a spectrophotometer at 765 nm, the total phenolic compound content being calculated relative to a calibration curve established with gallic acid.

15 PCT/FR2006/050674 Red wine White wine Variation Turbidity Proteins TPC Turbidity Proteins TPC 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Control 3670 NTU 184 mg/ 2341 130 NTU 120 mg/I 280 GAE/l GAE/1 F1 50 g/hl -93% -91% -33% -96% -83% -64% Fl 10 g/hl -93% -77% -41% -90% -80% -55% F2 50 g/hl -89% -75% -40% -97% -83% -54% F2 10 g/hl -90% -66% -37% -96% -86% -70% F7 50 g/h/ -91% -80% -27% -99% -88% -33% F7 10g/hl -90% -72% -26% -98% -92% -40% C1 50g/hl -92% -97% -33% -99% -87% -34% C1 1Og/hi -94% -74% -46% -98% -86% -46% *TPC: total phenolic compounds; variation relative to the control that has undergone the same steps 5 It results clearly from Table 2 that the wines are stabilized, without all of the polyphenols being removed. In Examples 2. 3 and 4 below, a red wine (Example 2), a white wine (Example 3) and a ros6 wine (Example 4) were treated by adding extracts F4 10 and C1 at doses of 10, 50 and 200 g/hi, with a contact time of 24 hours, with or without gentle stirring. For this study, we used: - a traditional red wine, vintage 2002, containing grenache, syrah and carrignan grape varieties. This wine is conditioned in 750 ml bottles. Its content of total 15 phenolic compounds is 1850 mg GAE/l; - a chardonnay paradoxe blanc white wine, vintage 1999 from vineyard of Virginie Castel. This wine is conditioned in 750 ml bottles. This wine has the characteristic of being vinified like a red wine including a maceration phase and a temperature increase. Thus, the contents of catechin dimers are very much 26 PCT/FR2006/050674 higher than those of a white wine that has undergone a standard vinification. Its content of total phenolic compounds is 1000 mg GAE/l; - a traditional rose wine, vintage 2002. This wine is conditioned in 750 ml bottles. Its content of total phenolic compounds is 365 mg GAE/l. 5 For each test, for example on red wine, all the 750 ml bottles of wine are homogenized in a first stage, and are then divided into 100 ml aliquots. Compounds F4 or C1 are added to each of these aliquots, at a dose of 10 g/hl, 50 g/hl or 200 g/hl with a contact time of 24 hours, with or without gentle stirring, at room temperature. 10 Assay used for assaying the tannins in Examples 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b For the determination, fractionation of the phenolic material is performed on a column, by qualitative estimation of the coloring matter (according to Bourzeix et al., 1979). This estimation is performed by column fractionation. 15 Three fractions are separated. These various fractions change in the course of the aging of the wine: 1 - The free anthocyan monomers by means of a mixture of 999 vol methanol and 1 vol 12N HCI. These monomers are collected in 20 ml of eluate and the optical density is then measured at 538 nm in order to evaluate the 20 content of this fraction. 2 - The red polymers, i.e. the forms weakly condensed by means of a mixture of formic acid and water (1/1 by vol). These red polymers are collected in 20 ml of eluate and the optical density is then measured at 525 nm in order to evaluate the content of this fraction. 25 3 - The yellow and brown polymers, i.e. the forms condensed by means of pure formic acid. These yellow and brown polymers are collected in 20 ml of eluate and the optical density is then measured at 525 nm in order to evaluate the content of this fraction. 30 Assay used for assaying tannins in Examples 2c and 2d Z/ PCT/FR2006/050674 Analysis of wine tannins (Ribereau-Gayon P, Glories Y, Maujean A, Dubourdieu D, 1998 Traite d'mnologie 2. chimie du vin stabilization et traitement [Oenology treatise 2. wine chemistry stabilization and treatment] , Dunod, Paris p203) 5 This method is also known as a tannin assay, the LA method or the proanthocyanin tannin assay method. It is based on the Bate-Smith reaction. Heating procyanidins in acidic medium leads to the cleavage of certain bonds and to the formation of carbocations that become partially transformed into cyanidin if the medium is sufficiently oxidizing. To do this, the procedure comprises the 10 preparation of two samples each containing 4 ml of wine diluted to 1/50, 2 ml of water and 6 ml of pure (12N) HCl; one of the tubes is heated on a waterbath at 100 0 C for 30 minutes and 1 ml of 95% ethanol is added thereto to dissolve the apparent red color (D2); the other is not heated, but receives 1 ml of 95% ethanol (Dl). The difference is measured 15 Ad = D2-D1 of the optical density at 550 nm over a 10 mm optical path; by comparison with a reference solution of procyanidin oligomers, the following concentration is obtained: LA (g/I) = 19.33 X Ad 20 Assay used to analyze the color intensity, the shade, the radiance and the color composition of the wine in Examples 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a and 3b Analysis of the coloring matter of wine is performed according to "Etude de /a couleur du vin [Study of the color of wine]" (Ribereau-Gayon P, Glories Y, Maujean A, Dubourdieu D, 1998 Trait6 d'oenologie 2. chimie du vin stabilization 25 et traitement [Oenology treatise 2. Wine chemistry stabilization and treatment], Dunod, Paris p206-207). This study is defined by 4 parameters: - The co/or intensity represents the strength of the color. CI = OD 420 + OD 520 + OD 620 - The shade corresponds to the level of change of the color towards orange. It 30 increases in the course of aging of the wine. T = OD420 / OD520 PCT/FR2006/050674 - The co/or composition corresponds to the contribution in the form of percentage of each of the three components toward the overall color. OD 420 (%) = (OD 420/ CI) x 100 OD 520 (%) = (OD 420/ CI) x 100 5 OD 620 (%) = (OD 420/ CI) x 100 - The radiance is related to the shape of the spectrum. The more dominant and bright the red color of the wine, the higher this parameter. dA(%) = (1- (OD 420 + OD 620 / 2 x OD 520)) X 100 10 EXAMPLE 2- Treatment of finished wines with an extract of fungal biomass, or an extract of crustacean biomass: red wines This example serves particularly to illustrate the following effects: * Improvement of the clarity * Improvement of the color composition of the wine 15 * Variation of the pH of the wine * Removal of some of the polyphenols * Conservation of the phenolic material of the wine EXAMPLE 2a- Characteristics of red wines after treatment without 20 stirring with a contact time of 24 hours 29 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 3- Variations of pH and of total phenolic compounds content in control and treated red wines, after addition of products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Variation * TPC Variation (%) (mg eq GAE/I) (0/0) Control 3.75 1850 F4 10g/hl 3.73 -0.5% 1799 -2.74% F4 50g/hl 3.73 -0.5% 1784 -3.56% F4 200g/hl 3.77 +0.5% 1697 -8.22% C1 log/hl 3.74 -0.3% 1834 -0.82% C1 50g/hl 3.77 +0.5% 1672 -9.59% C1 200g/hI 3.81 +1.6% 1672 -9.59% 5 * relative to the control It results clearly from Table 3 that the pH of the wine varies negligibly and that all the polyphenols are conserved with a negligible variation. Table 4- Fractionation of the phenolic material of control and treated red wines, 10 after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Red Brown Monomers Variation polymers Variation polymers Variation 0 / % 0/ % 0 / % Control 37.53 39.50 22.96 F4 50g/hl 37.00 -1.4% 42.10 +6.2% 20.90 -9.9% F4 200g/hl 36.44 -3.0% 42.85 +8.0% 20.70 -10.8% C1 50g/hl 36.68 -2.3% 40.20 +1.7% 23.11 +0.7% C1 200g/hl 36.92 -1.7% 41.02 +3.6% 22.05 -4.4% It results clearly from Table 4 that a rearrangement in favor of the red polymers is obtained. 15 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 5- Color intensity, shade and radiance of control and treated red wines, after addition of the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Color Variation Shade Variation Radiance Variation intensity 0/0 % % Control 1.06 1.05 27.42 F4 10g/hl 0.93 -12.6% 0.96 -8.6% 31.04 +13.2% F4 50g/hl 0.99 -6.9% 0.97 -7.6% 29.56 +7.8% F4 200g/hl 0.89 -16.4% 0.94 -10.5% 30.96 +12.9% C1 10g/hi 0.95 -10.7% 0.99 -5.7% 30.32 +10.6% C1 50g/hl 0.88 -17.3% 0.96 -8.6% 32.66 +19.1% C1 200g/hl 0.87 -18.2% 0.95 -9.5% 31.19 +13.8% 5 It results clearly from Table 5 that the color intensity and the shade decrease, whereas the radiance is improved. Table 6- Color composition of control and treated red wines, after adding the 10 products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours OD Variation OD Variation OD Variation 420 nm 0 / 520 nm 0/ 620nm % Control 42.60 40.80 16.50 F4 10g/hl 40.64 -4.6% 42.03 +3.0% 17.32 +5.0% F4 50g/hl 40.50 -4.9% 41.51 +1.7% 17.97 +8.9% F4 200g/hl 39.63 -7.0% 42.00 +2.9% 18.35 +11.2% C1 10g/hi 41.67 -2.2% 41.78 +2.4% 16.54 +0.2% C1 50g/hl 40.90 -4.0% 42.61 +4.4% 16.47 -0.2% C1 200g/hl 40.00 -6.1% 42.06 +3.1% 17.93 +8.7% It results clearly from Table 6 that a very slight rearrangement of the color appears: the optical density at 420 nm (yellow-green) decreases while the 31 PCT/FR2006/050674 optical density at 520 nm (purple) and the optical density at 620 nm (blue-green) increase. EXAMPLE 2b- Characteristics of red wines after treatment with gentle 5 stirring, with a contact time of 24 hours Variation* TPC Variation* (%) (mg eq GAE/l) ( 0 /o) Control 3.77 1850 F4 10g/hl 3.71 -1.6% 1807 -2.3% F4 50g/hl 3.73 -1.1% 1850 0% F4 200g/hl 3.75 -0.5% 1744 -5.7% C1 10g/hl 3.76 -0.3% 1522 -12.3% C1 50g/hl 3.78 +0.3% 1585 -14.3% C1 200g/hl 3.87 +2.7% 1585 -14.3% *relative to the control It results clearly from Table 7 that the pH of the wine varies negligibly, 10 and the polyphenols are conserved with negligible variation. Table 8- Fractionation of the phenolic material of control and treated red wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours Red Brown Monomers Variation polymers Variation polymers Variation 0/0 0/0 /0 /0 /o /0 Control 39.6 38.7 21.6 F4 50g/hl 31.7 -19.9% 44.5 +15.0% 23.7 +9.7% F4 200g/hl 32.3 -18.5% 44.8 +16.0% 22.9 +5.7% C1 50g/hl 37.5 -5.3% 47.1 +21.6% 15.4 -29.0% C1 200g/hl 41.2 +3.9% 44.0 +13.8% 14.8 -31.7% 15 It results clearly from Table 8 that a rearrangement in favor of the red polymers is obtained.

PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 9- Color intensity, shade and radiance of control and treated red wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours Color Variation Shade Variation Radiance Variation intensity 0/0 0/0 0 / Control 1.0 1.0 30.4 F4 10g/hl 0.7 -26% 0.9 -3.0% 39.0 +28% F4 50g/hl 0.8 -23% 0.9 -4.1% 26.8 -12% F4 200g/hl 0.7 -34% 1.0 +7.2% 35.6 +17% C1 10g/hl 0.9 -15% 1.0 +1.0% 32.9 +8% C1 50g/hl 0.8 -25% 0.9 -4.1% 35.1 +15% C1 200g/hl 0.8 -18% 1.1 +10.3% 29.2 -4% 5 It results clearly from Table 9 that the color intensity decreases, and that the shade is stable, while the radiance is improved. Table 10- Color composition of control and treated red wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours: optical density at 10 absorption wavelengths 420, 520 and 620 nm OD Variation OD Variation OD Variation 420 nm 0/0 520 nm 0 / 620nm 0/ Control 40.7 41.8 17.9 F4 10g/hl 42.3 +3.9% 45.0 +7.6% 12.7 -29.2% F4 50g/hl 38.1 -6.4% 40.6 -3.0% 21.3 +19.3% F4 200g/hl 45.5 +11.8% 43.7 +4.5% 10.7 -39.9% C1 10g/hl 41.9 +3.0% 42.7 +2.0% 15.4 -13.9% C1 50g/hl 40.6 -0.3% 43.5 +4.0% 15.9 -11.0% C1 200g/hl 44.3 +8.8% 41.4 -1.0% 14.3 -20.0% It results clearly from Table 10 that a very slight rearrangement of the color appears: the optical density at 420 nm (yellow-green) increases, the optical ii PCT/FR2006/050674 density at 520 nm (purple) increases and the optical density at 620 nm (blue green) decreases. EXAMPLE 3- Treatment of finished wines with an extract of fungal 5 biomass, or an extract of crustacean biomass: white wines EXAMPLE 3a- Treatment of white wine without stirring, with a contact time of 24 hours 10 Table 11- Variations of pH and of content of total phenolic compounds in control and treated white wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Variation TPC Variation (%) (mg eq GAE/I) (0/) Control 3.65 1000 F4 10g/hl 3.77 +3.3% 1000 0% F4 SOg/hl 3.77 +3.3% 975 -2.5% F4 200g/hl 3.79 +3.8% 975 -2.5% C1 lOg/hl 3.79 +3.8% 1000 0% C1 50g/hl 3.84 +5.2% 1000 0% C1 200g/hi 3.97 +8.8% 910 -9.0% 15 It results clearly from Table 11 that the pH of the wine varies negligibly and that the polyphenols are conserved with a negligible variation.

34 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 12- Color intensity, shade and tannin content of control and treated white wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Color Variation Shade Variation Tannins Variation intensity 0/0 0/0 (gI) 0/0 Control 0.58 3.3 1.23 F4 10g/hl 0.46 -20.7% 4.1 +25.5% 1.17 -8.6% F4 50g/hl 0.44 -24.1% 3.9 +20.6% 1.17 -5.6% F4 200g/hl 0.43 -25.9% 3.9 +20.3% 1.19 -7.0% C1 10g/hl 0.45 -22.4% 3.9 +21.2% 1.08 -15.6% C1 SOg/hl 0.40 -31.0% 4.3 +31.6% 1.12 -12.5% C1 200g/hl 0.49 -15.5% 3.2 -0.6% 1.14 -10.9% 5 It results clearly from Table 12 that the color intensity decreases and the shade increases, while the total amount of tannins is conserved, with a negligible variation. 10 Table 13- Color composition of control and treated white wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours: optical density at absorption wavelengths 420, 520 and 620 nm OD Variation OD Variation OD Variation 420 nm 0/ 520 nm 0 / 620nm % Control 70.7 21.7 7.6 F4 10g/hl 76.5 +8.2% 18.7 -13.9% 4.8 -37.1% F4 50g/hl 76.5 +8.2% 19.5 -10.3% 4.0 -47.1% F4 200g/hl 76.0 +7.5% 19.3 -10.8% 4.6 -39.5% C1 10g/hl 76.4 +8.1% 19.3 -10.9% 4.2 -44.5% C1 50g/hl 78.1 +10.5% 18.2 -16.2% 3.7 -51.6% C1 200g/hl 70.9 +0.2% 21.9 +0.7% 7.3 -4.2% PCT/FR2006/050674 It results clearly from Table 13 that a very slight rearrangement of the color appears: the optical density at 420 nm (yellow-green) increases and the optical density at 520 nm (purple) and at 620 nm (blue-green) decrease. 5 EXAMPLE 3b- Treatment of white wine with gentle stirring, with a contact time of 24 hours Table 14- Variations of pH and of content of total phenolic compounds in control and treated white wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with 10 stirring, contact time of 24 hours Variation TPC Variation (%) (mg eq GAE/l) (0/) Control 3.73 1000 F4 10g/hl 3.76 +0.8% 909 -9.1% F4 50g/hi 3.77 +1.0% 909 -9.1% F4 200g/hi 3.81 +2.1% 873 -12.7% C1 log/hl 3.77 +1.1% 873 -12.7% C1 50g/hl 3.80 +1.9% 862 -13.8% C1 200g/hl 3.98 +6.7% 850 -15.0% It results clearly from Table 14 that the pH of the wine varies negligibly and that the total amount of polyphenols is conserved, with a negligible 15 variation.

36 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 15- Color intensity, shade and tannin content of control and treated white wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours Color Variation Shade Variation Tannins Variation intensity % % (g/l) % Control 0.54 3.4 1.28 F4 10g/hl 0.56 +3.7% 3.3 -3.5% 0.94 -26.6% F4 50g/hl 0.53 -1.9% 3.2 -5.0% 0.90 -29.7% F4 200g/hl 0.49 -9.3% 3.3 -2.9% 0.96 -25.0% C1 1og/hl 0.52 -3.7% 3.2 -5.9% 1.00 -21.9% C1 50g/hl 0.51 -5.6% 3.2 -6.8% 0.81 -36.7% C1 200g/hl 1.09 +102% 2.2 -35.3% 0.77 -39.8% 5 It results clearly from Table 15 that the color intensity decreases and the shade decreases, while the total amount of tannins decreases slightly. Table 16- Color composition of control and treated white wines, after adding 10 the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours: optical density at absorption wavelengths 420, 520 and 620 nm OD Variation OD Variation OD Variation 420 nm 0 / 520 nm 0/0 620nm 0/0 Control 71.8 21.1 7.1 F4 10g/hl 70.4 -1.9% 21.4 +1.4% 8.1 +14.7% F4 50g/hl 70.4 -1.9% 21.7 +2.9% 7.8 +9.9% F4 200g/hl 71.8 +0.1% 21.7 +2.9% 6.4 -9.4% C1 10g/l 72.0 +0.3% 22.5 +6.4% 5.5 -22.3% C1 50g/l 69.8 -2.8% 22.0 +4.0% 8.2 +15.9% C1 200g/hl 59.2 -17.5% 26.9 +27.2% 13.9 +96.2% 3/ PCT/FR2006/050674 It results clearly from Table 16 that a very slight rearrangement of the color appears: the optical density at 420 nm (yellow-green) decreases and the optical density at 520 nm (purple) and at 620 nm (blue-green) increase. 5 EXAMPLE 4- Treatment of finished wines with an extract of fungal biomass or an extract of crustacean biomass: ros6 wines EXAMPLE 4a- Treatment of rose wine without stirring, with a contact time of 24 hours 10 Table 17- Variations of pH and of content of total phenolic compounds in control and treated rose wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Variation TPC Variation (%) (mg eq GAE/l) (%) Control 3.55 365 F4 10g/hl 3.55 +0.0% 347 -4.9% F4 50g/hl 3.56 +0.3% 365 +0.0% F4 200g/hl 3.60 +1.4% 350 -4.1% C1 10g/hl 3.55 +0.0% 342 -6.3% C1 50g/hl 3.56 +0.3% 350 -4.1% C1 200g/hl 3.60 +1.4% 325 -11.0% 15 It results clearly from Table 17 that the pH of the wine varies negligibly and the total amount of polyphenols is conserved, with a negligible variation.

PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 18- Fractionation of the phenolic material of control and treated rose wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Mono- Red Brown mers Variation polymers Variation polymers Variation 0/0 % % 0 % Control 52.5 43.6 4.0 F4 50g/hi 58.7 +11.8% 36.4 -16.5% 5.0 +25.3% F4 200g/hl 27.3 +9.1% 38.5 -11.7% 4.3 +7.8% C1 50g/hl 44.4 -15.4% 40.2 -7.8% 15.4 +288% C1 200g/hl 45.7 -12.8% 41.1 -5.7% 13.2 +232% 5 It results clearly from Table 18 that a rearrangement in favor of the brown monomers and polymers is obtained. Table 19- Color intensity, shade and radiance of control and treated ros4 wines, 10 after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours Color Variation Shade Variation Radiance Variation intensity 0/0 0/0 0/0 Control 0.13 1.0 40.8 F4 10g/hl 0.14 +7.7% 1.0 +1.0% 39.4 -3.6% F4 SOg/hl 0.15 +15.4% 1.1 +3.9% 35.8 -12.3% F4 200g/hl 0.12 -7.7% 1.0 +1.0% 40.5 -0.7% C1 log/hi 0.13 +0.0% 1.1 +1.9% 40.1 -1.7% C1 50g/hl 0.12 -7.7% 1.0 +1.0% 41.2 +1.0% C1 200g/hl 0.37 +185% 1.3 +26.2% 13.1 -67.9% It results clearly from Table 19 that the color intensity decreases, while the shade and the radiance are stable. 15 J39 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 20- Color composition of control and treated ros6 wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 without stirring, contact time of 24 hours OD Variation OD Variation OD Variation 420nm 0/0 520nm 0/0 620nm 0/0 Control 52.5 43.5 3.9 F4 10g/hl 47.1 -10.3% 45.1 +3.7% 7.7 +97% F4 50g/hl 46.7 -11.1% 43.7 +0.5% 9.5 +144% F4 200g/hl 47.7 -9.2% 45.6 +4.8% 6.7 +70.5% CI 1Og/hl 47.9 -8.8% 45.5 +4.6% 6.5 +67% C1 50g/hl 48.1 -8.4% 45.9 +5.5% 6.0 +54% C1 200g/hl 47.7 -9.1% 36.5 -16.1% 15.7 +303% 5 It results clearly from Table 20 that a very slight rearrangement of the color appears: the optical density at 420 nm (yellow-green) decreases, and the optical density at 520 nm (purple) and at 620 nm (blue-green) increase. EXAMPLE 4b- Treatment of rose wine with gentle stirring, with a 10 contact time of 24 hours Table 21- Variations of pH and of content of total phenolic compounds in control and treated ros6 wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours Variation TPC Variation (%) (mg eq GAE/I) (0/o) Control 3.54 365 F4 10g/hl 3.51 -0.9% 255 -30.0% F4 SOg/hi 3.50 -1.1% 269 -26.3% F4 200g/hl 3.56 +0.6% 237 -34.9% C1 1Og/hl 3.55 +0.3% 309 -15.2% C1 50g/hl 3.59 +1.4% 324 -11.1% C1 200g/hl 3.71 +4.8% 279 -23.3% 15 40 PCT/FR2006/050674 It results clearly from Table 21 that the pH of the wine varies negligibly and the total amount of polyphenols is conserved, with a negligible variation. Table 22- Fractionation of the phenolic material of control and treated rosa 5 wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours Monomers Variation Red polymers Variation 0/0 % 0/0 % Control 61.1 38.9 F4 SOg/hl 57.1 -6.4% 42.9 +10.1% F4 200g/hl 57.5 -5.9% 42.1 8.0% C1 50g/hl 63.6 +4.1% 36.4 -6.4% C1 200g/hl 65.9 +7.9% 34.1 -12.4% It results clearly from Table 22 that a rearrangement in favor of the red 10 polymers is obtained. Table 23- Color intensity, shade and radiance of control and treated rose wines, after adding the products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours Color Variation Shade Variation Radiance Variation intensity 0 / 0/0 0/0 Control 0.12 0.99 99.9 F4 10g/hl 0.14 +16.7% 1.02 +3.0% 99.9 -0.0 F4 50g/hl 0.14 +16.7% 1.01 +2.0% 99.9 -0.0 F4 200g/hl 0.12 +0.0% 1.00 +1.0% 99.9 -0.0 C1 10g/hl 0.13 +8.3% 1.03 +4.0% 99.9 -0.0 C1 50g/hl 0.11 -8.3% 1.01 +2.0% 99.9 +0.0 C1 200g/hl 0.16 +33.3% 1.10 +11.1% 99.9 -0.0 15 41 PCT/FR2006/050674 It results clearly from Table 23 that the color intensity increases and that the shade and the radiance are stable. Table 24- Color composition of control and treated rose wines, after adding the 5 products F4 and C1 with stirring, contact time of 24 hours OD Variation OD Variation OD Variation 420 nm 0 / 520 nm 0/ 620nm % Control 46.6 47.2 +6.2 F4 10g/hl 46.0 -1.2% 44.7 -5.3% +9.3 +49.5% F4 5Og/hl 45.9 -1.3% 45.2 -4.2% +8.8 +42.2% F4 200g/hl 46.7 +0.3% 46.3 -2.0% +7.0 +12.6% C1 10g/hi 46.9 +0.7% 45.4 -3.8% +7.7 +23.4% C1 SOg/hi 46.6 +0.2% 46.1 -2.3% +7.2 +16.6% C1 200g/hl 46.8 +0.5% 42.2 -10.6% +11.0 +76.8% It results clearly from Table 24 that a very slight rearrangement of the color appears: the optical density at 420 nm (yellow-green) is stable, the optical 10 density at 520 nm (purple) decreases and the optical density at 620 nm (blue green) increases. In Examples 5 and 6 the content of heavy metals and major metals was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. 15 For these studies, the following were used: - a red vin de pays wine of merlot grape variety, vintage 2003, from the La Lande Pennautier vineyard (Aude). The grape underwent maceration but was not clarified or filtered. Its content of total phenolic compounds is 2075 mg GAE/l. This wine is conditioned in 750 ml bottles; 20 - a white vin de pays wine of chardonnary grape variety, vintage 2003, from the La Lande Pennautier vineyard (Aude). The grape underwent direct pressing followed by vinification at low temperature at 20 0 C. Its content of total phenolic compounds is 273.3 mg GAE/1. This wine is conditioned in 750 ml bottles; 42 PCT/FR2006/050674 - a natural sweet wine of grenache and macabeu grape varieties, vintage 2003, from the Baixas cooperative winery (Pyren6es Orientales). The grape underwent direct pressing, clarification using ground bentonite and then mutage with 96 vol% pure alcohol on must and finally deproteinating clarification and 5 centrifugation. Its content of total phenolic compounds is 370.8 mg GAE/l. This wine is conditioned in 750 ml bottles. The assay method used to analyze the removal of the heavy metals (lead, cadmium) and major metals (iron) in Examples 5 and 6 is: "Determination of the 10 mineral content of various tests" (according to the official method of the OIV: Recueil des methodes internationales d'analyses du vin et des moots [Collection of the international methods for the analysis of wine and musts] p217-224, p227-228, p231-234). The copper and iron contents were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The cadmium and lead contents were 15 determined by oven atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). EXAMPLE 5- Removal of the heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in red, white and natural sweet wines Red, white and natural sweet wines were artificially contaminated with 20 the heavy metals lead to 500 pg/I and cadmium to 20 pg/I (simultaneously). The extracts F1, F2, F7 or C1 are placed in contact with the wines at doses of 10, 50 or 200 g/hl. The contents of metals in the control wines and in the treated wines are determined by graphite oven atomic absorption spectrometry. As a reminder, the ON recommendations regarding the maximum 25 content of heavy metals in wines are 200 pg/I for lead and 10 pg/I for cadmium.

PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 25- Removal of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) in red, white and sweet wines Lead (pg/I) Cadmium (pg/I) Red White Sweet Red White Sweet Initial content 150 111 110 19 18 10 (pg/I) F1 200 g/hl 33% 58% 38% 54% 17% 25% F1 50 g/hl 31% 29% 26% 56% 12% 12% F1 10 g/hl 21% 10% 32% 57% 18% 13% F2 200 g/hl 51% 50% - 21% 17% 17% F2 50 g/hl 41% 44% 15% 27% 23% 17% F2 10 g/hl 41% 27% 42% 14% 19% 21% F7 200 g/hl 74% 65% 84% 25% 8% 17% F7 50 g/hl 66% 52% 54% 29% 5% 23% F7 10 g/hl 37% 43% 47% 26% 11% 6% C1 200 g/hl 40% 73% 88% 32% 38% 17% C 50 g/h 32% 78% 78% 21% 38% 43% C 10 g/hl 17% 50% 0% 22% 38% 19% 5 It results clearly from Table 25 that the lead and cadmium are removed to an amount of 50% for lead and 5 7 % for cadmium. EXAMPLE 6- Use of the fungal extracts according to the present invention to prevent breakage due to the presence of iron in red, white 10 and sweet wines Red, white and natural sweet wines were artificially contaminated with iron to 20 mg/l. The extracts Fl, F2, F7 or C1 are placed in contact with the wines at doses of 10, 50 or 200 g/hl. The iron content in the control wines and in the treated wines are determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

44 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 26- Removal of iron in red, white and sweet wines Red wine White wine Sweet wine Initial iron content 23 6 5 (mg/1) F1 200 g/hl 73% 32% 77% F1 50 g/hl 72% 22% 42% F1 10 g/hl 70% 20% 23% F2 200 g/hl 80% 34% 51% F2 50 g/hl 72% 16% 24% F2 10 g/hl 71% 24% 10% F7 200 g/hl 90% 91% 98% F7 50 g/hl 86% 54% 90% F7 10 g/hl 75% 20% 59% C1 200 g/hl 91% 80% 94% C1 50 g/hI 77% 60% 88% C1 10 g/hl 73% 25% 59% It results clearly from Table 26 that the iron is removed up to 80%. 5 EXAMPLE 7- Removal of mycotoxins in red, white and natural sweet wines 10 For this study, red, white and sweet wines identical to those of Examples 5 and 6 were used. These red, white and natural sweet wines were artificially contaminated with ochratoxin A (OTA) at a dose of 5 pg/. The extracts F1, F2, F7 or C1 are placed in contact with the wines at doses of 500 g/hl. As a reminder, the OIV recommends not exceeding an ochratoxin A content of 2 pg/I 15 in wines. No specific treatment has been acknowledged to date.

45 PCT/FR2006/050674 The ochratoxin A contents in the control wines and in the treated wines are determined by the official method of the OI (Oeno resolution 16/2001). The assay is performed by calculating the OTA content by assaying the ochratoxin A in the wine after passage through an immunoaffinity column and HPLC with 5 fluorimetric detection, according to "Determination of ochratoxin A in wine by means of immunoaffinity column clean-up and high-performance liquid chromatography. " A. Visconti, M. Pascale, G. Centonze. Journal of Chromatography A, 864 (1999) 89-101. 10 Table 27- Removal of mycotoxins in red, white and natural sweet wines, at various pH values Red wine White wine Natural sweet wine pH OTA 0/0 OTA 0 / pH OTA /0 (p9g/I) (99/1) (pig/I) Control 3.0 4.5 4.6 F1 3.11 1.4 53% 3.08 2.0 56% 3.14 2.5 46% 4.09 1.3 57% 3.78 1.6 65% 4.04 2.6 43% 4.39 1.5 50% 4.25 2.5 45% 4.39 2.5 46% F2 3.08 0.8 73% 3.07 1.4 69% 3.09 2.3 50% 4.10 1.0 67% 3.79 2.1 53% 4.03 3.0 35% 4.39 1.1 63% 4.34 2.2 51% 4.35 2.3 50% F7 3.51 1.0 66% 3.54 2.6 42% 3.61 3.8 17% 4.52 0.5 83% 4.22 2.1 53% 4.61 3.4 26% 4.82 0.6 80% 4.72 1.9 58% 4.92 3.5 24% C1 3.55 0.9 70% 3.45 3.8 16% 3.70 4.2 9% 4.55 1.1 63% 4.20 3.3 27% 4.62 2.7 41%y 4.70 0.9 70% 4.58 4.0 11% 4.90 4.3 7% It results clearly from Table 27 that ochratoxin A is removed up to 73%. 15 The amount of mycotoxins is then below the recommendations for red and white wines.

46 PCT/FR2006/050674 EXAMPLE 8- Clarification of red wine musts with F1 at a dose of 50 g/hl, relative to a control that has undergone a natural decantation (10 I tank) 5 A must from tank A (10 I tank) and a must from tank B (10 I tank) were treated by adding fungal extract Fl. This extract is added at the end of the alcoholic fermentation at a dose of 50 g/hl. The control must is clarified by natural decantation. The standard analyses of sugar, TAV, total acidity (T Ac.), volatile acidity 10 (V Ac.), total SO 2 (T SO 2 ), volatile SO2 (L SO 2 ), the pH and the turbidity are performed. Results: 15 Table 28- Variation of the turbidity of musts and red wines obtained from the must of tank A (10 I tank) Turbidity (NTU) Variation (%) Control starting must 1655 Control wine 1655 0.0% Treated wine - F1 50 g/Il 25 98.5% 4/ PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 29- Analytical characteristics of the musts and red wines obtained from the must of tank A (10 I tank) T Ac. Sugar TAV V Ac. (g/l T S02 L S02 (g/i) (%vol) H 2 50 4 ) H 2

SO

4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Starting must 198.0 0.05 2.82 0.05 18 3 3.43 Control wine 3.1 13.23 4.44 0.27 30 2 3.24 Treated wine - F1 3.6 13.24 4.50 0.24 28 2 3.25 50 g/hl 5 Table 30- Variation of the turbidity of musts and of red wines obtained from the must of tank B (10 1 tank) Turbidity (NTU) Variation (%) Control starting must 3048 Control wine 2332 23.4% Treated wine - F1 50 g/hl 749 75.4% PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 31- Analytical characteristics of the musts and red wines obtained from the must of tank B (10 I tank) T Ac. V Ac. Sugar TAV T SO 2 L SO 2 (gI (g/l pH (g/I) (%vol) H 2 S0 4 ) H 2 S0 4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Control s g 195.0 0.05 2.82 0.05 18 3 3.43 must Control wine 4.0 12.86 3.99 0.34 47 2 3.39 Treated wine - F1 3.9 12.89 4.09 0.37 51 2 3.43 50 g/hI 5 Treatment with chitin-glucan F1 contributes towards improving the clarification of the red wines, without impairing the content of total phenolic compounds and tannins, compared with the control wine that has undergone a natural decantation. 10 EXAMPLE 9- Clarification of natural sweet wine musts in poor health state with F1 at a dose of 50 g/hl, compared with a control that has undergone a traditional clarification (gelatin/bentonite) 15 A natural sweet wine must in poor health state from vineyard D (3 hl tank) was treated by adding fungal extract F1 before sludge removal (before alcoholic fermentation), at a dose of 50 g/hl. The control wine underwent clarification with the traditional products, gelatin and bentonite.

49 PCT/FR2006/050674 Results: Table 32- Variation of the turbidity (3 hl tank, poor health state) Turbidity (NTU) Variation (%) Control starting must 333.5 Control wine 1.76 -99.5 % Treated wine - F1 50 g/hl 1.66 -99.5 % 5 Table 33- Analytical characteristics of musts and of natural sweet wines obtained from the must from vineyard D (3 hl tank, poor health state) T Ac. V Ac. Sugar TAV T SO 2 L S02 (g/l (g/l pH (g/l) (%vol) H 2 S0 4 ) H 2 S0 4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Control starting 267.6 0.01 1.34 0.0 13 3 3.47 must Control 106.0 14.86 2.76 0.43 1151 400 3.75 wine Treated wine - F1 94.0 16.86 2.98 0.53 140 50 3.74 50 g/hl 10 5U PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 34- Total phenolic compounds (TPC), tannins and color intensity of musts and of natural sweet wines obtained from the must from vineyard D (3 hI tank, poor health state) TPC Tannins (mg eq OD 280 gallic acid/I) Control starting must 1017.2 0.28 0.1 Control wine 665.3 0.20 0.1 Treated wine - F1 50 g/hl 753.5 0.20 0.1 5 The addition of F1 gives rise to a decrease in the turbidity equivalent to that obtained after traditional treatment (gelatin/bentonite), without impairing the content of total phenolic compounds and of tannins, or the color intensity. 10 EXAMPLE 10- Clarification of natural sweet wine musts in good health stage with F1 at a dose of 50 g/hl, compared with a control that has undergone a traditional clarification (gelatin/ bentonite) A natural sweet wine must in good health state from vineyard D (3 hl 15 tank) was treated by adding fungal extract F1 before sludge removal (before alcoholic fermentation), at a dose of 50 g/hl. The control wine underwent clarification with the traditional products gelatin and bentonite.

51 PCT/FR2006/050674 2-Results: Table 35- Variation of the turbidity (3 hl tank, good health state) Turbidity (NTU) Variation (%) Control starting must 147.0 Control wine 2.5 -98.3% Wine treated by sludge removal - F1 3.9 -97.3 % 50 g/hl Wine treated before mutage - 50 g/hl 3.6 -97.5 % 5 Table 36- Analytical characteristics of musts and of natural sweet wines obtained from the must from vineyard D (3 hl tank, good health state) T Ac. V Ac. Sugar TAV T S02 L SO 2 (g/1 (g/l p (g/l) (%vol) H 2

S(

4 ) H 2

S

4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Control 212.0 0.01 2.09 0.0 18 3 3.44 starting must Control wine 120.0 16.86 2.82 0.64 86 2 3.81 Wine treated by sludge 102.0 18.37 2.75 0.58 60 2 3.82 removal - F1 50 g/hl Wine treated before mutage 115.0 17.54 2.77 0.62 64 2 3.81 - F1 50 g/hl 51 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 37- Total phenolic compounds (TPC), tannins and color intensity of musts and of natural sweet wines obtained from the must from vineyard D (3 hl tank, good health state) TPC Tannins OD (mg eq gallic acid/I) (g/l) 280 Control starting must 790.6 0.09 0.09 Control wine 291.3 0.05 0.07 Wine treated by sludge removal 280.0 0.06 0.07 F1 50 g/hl Wine treated before mutage - F1 289.0 0.06 0.07 50 g/hl 5 The addition of F1 gives rise to a decrease in turbidity equivalent to that obtained after traditional treatment (gelatin/bentonite), without impairing the content of total phenolic compounds and of tannins, or the color intensity. Furthermore, the addition of F1 on sludge removal or before mutage has no 10 effect on the quality of the clarification. EXAMPLE 11- Clarification of rose wine musts with F1 at a dose of 50 g/hl, compared with a control that has undergone a traditional clarification 15 A rose wine must from tank C (300 hl tank) was treated by adding fungal extract F1 after alcoholic fermentation, at a dose of 50 g/hl. The control underwent a traditional clarification.

PCT/FR2006/050674 Results: Table 39- Variation of the turbidity (300 hl tank) Turbidity (NTU) Control tank must 1710 Control wine 185 Treated wine - Fl 50 g/hl 82 5 Table 40- Analytical characteristics of the musts and of the rose wines obtained from the must from tank C (300 hl tank) T Ac. V Ac. Sugar TAV

TSO

2 L SO 2 (g/l (g/l pH (g/l) (%vol) H 2

S(

4 ) H 2 Sm 4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Control starting 100 0.01 1.71 0.0 11 2 3.45 must Control wine 1.9 13.78 2.98 0.26 64 2 3.55 Treated must 110 0.01 1.83 0.0 14 2 3.44 F1 50 g/hl Treated wine - F1 1.7 13.37 3.01 0.23 56 5 3.56 50 g/hl 10 Treatment of the rose wine must after alcoholic fermentation with F1 allows the ros6 wine musts to be clarified just as efficiently as by traditional clarification. The content of total phenolic compounds, the anthocyan content and the optical density at 280 nm remain unchanged relative to the control. 15 54 PCT/FR2006/050674 EXAMPLE 12- Removal of mycotoxins in naturally contaminated red wines A red wine from vineyard C (426 hl tank) and a red wine from vineyard D 5 (3 hl tanks) containing ochratoxin A contents close to the maximum content recommended by the OIV (2 pg/I) were treated by adding fungal extract Fl. Several treatment assays were tested: 129 g/hl, 300 g/hl, 400 g/hl and 500 g/hl. The fungal extract is left in contact with the wine for 3 days. The control wine undergoes no treatment. 10 Results: Table 41- Removal of mycotoxins in the red wine C (426 hl tank) OTA (pg/I) Variation (%) Control 1.7 F1 - 129 g/hl 1.4 -17.6% 15 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 42- Analytical characteristics of the red wine C (426 hl tank) T Ac. V Ac. Sugar TAV TSO 2 L SO 2 (g/l (g/l pH (g/i) (%vol) H 2

S(

4 ) H 2 Sm 4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Control 1.9 12.50 10.28 7.82 28 3 3.38 F1 - 129 g/hl 2.1 12.57 9.69 7.24 28 3 3.37 5 The treatment F1 at a dose of 129 g/hl gives rise to a 17.6% reduction in the OTA content of the red wine. The treatment F1 does not result in any change of the standard analytical parameters of the wines. The contents of total phenolic compounds (- 2400 mg/I), of tannins (- 3.3 g/l) and of anthocyans (- 470 mg/) 10 and the color intensity (OD 280 nm = 0.57) on samples taken 2 days and 1 week after treatment are unchanged relative to the control.

PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 43- Removal of the mycotoxins in the red wine from vineyard D (3 hi tank) OTA (pg/I) Variation (%) Control 2.7 F1 - 300 g/hl 2.2 -18.5% F1 - 400 g/hl 2.1 -22.2% F1 - 500 g/hl 2.0 -25.9% 5 Table 44- Analytical characteristics of the red wine from vineyard D (3 hl tank) T Ac. V Ac. Sugar TAV T SO 2

LSO

2 (gI (gI pH (g/l) (%vol) H 2

S(

4 ) H 2 Sm 4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Control 1.5 13.66 3.47 0.59 25 2 3.55 F1 - 300 1.4 13.63 3.42 0.59 30 3 3.55 g/hl F1 - 400 1.5 13.51 4.78 2.30 34 2 3.52 g/hl F1 - 500 1.4 13.33 6.61 4.19 34 2 3.43 g/hl The removal of the OTA in the red wine is dose dependent. The contents 10 of total phenolic compounds (- 2070 mg/I), of tannins (- 2.43 g/l) and the color intensity (OD 280 nm = 0.47) after treatment are unchanged relative to the control. Irrespective of the dose of treatment F1 added to the wine (300 g/hl, 400 g/hl, 500 g/hl), this does not give rise to any changes in the standard analytical parameters of the wines.

57 PCT/FR2006/050674 EXAMPLE 13- Small-scale removal of the mycotoxins in naturally contaminated red wines A red wine from vineyard M (1 I bottles) containing OTA contents greater 5 than or equal to the ON recommendation were treated by adding fungal extract F1, at several doses and under variable temperature and time conditions, in one or two additions. The fungal extract is left in contact with the wine for 3 days. The control wine undergoes no treatment.

5 PCT/FR2006/050674 Results: Table 45- Analytical characteristics of the red wines from vineyard M (11 bottles) 5 TAc. V Ac. Sugar TAV T S02 L S02 (g/l (g/l pH (g/l) (%vol) H 2

S(

4 ) H 2 Sm 4 ) (mg/I) (mg/I) Control 1.1 12.97 5.36 2.60 13 2 3.69 F1 - 200 g/hl Room 1.2 13.09 3.65 0.56 6 2 3.73 temperature, 3 days F1 - 300 g/hl 1.1 13.14 3.64 0.55 6 2 3.73 0*C, 3 days F1 - 400 g/hIl Room 1.3 13.03 3.61 0.54 7 2 3.74 temperature, 3 days F1 - 2 x 200 g/hl Room 1.3 13.05 3.59 0.57 5 2 3.76 temperature, 3 days F1 - 500 g/hIl Room 1.1 13.10 3.59 0.55 6 2 3.74 temperature, 3 days F1 - 500 g/hI 1.0 13.11 3.59 0.56 7 2 3.75 0*C, 3 days F1 - 300 g/hI 10 days 1.0 12.89 3.62 0.59 7 2 3.73 59 PCT/FR2006/050674 Table 46- Removal of the mycotoxins in the red wine from vineyard M (11 bottles) OTA (pg/I) Variation (%) Control 3.0 F1 - 200 g/hl Room temperature, 2.3 -23.3% 3 days F1 -300g/h 2.0 -33.3% 0*C, 3 days F1 - 400 g/hl Room temperature, 1.9 -36.7% 3 days F1 - 2 x 200 g/hl Room temperature, 1.8 -40% 3 days F1 - 500 g/hl Room temperature, 2.0 -33.3% 3 days F1 - 500 g/ht 1.9 -36.7% 0*C, 3 days F1 - 300 g/hl 2.0 -33.3% 10 days bU PCT/FR2006/050674 The removal is at least 23% with the treatment F1 at a dose of 200 g/hl. The contents of total phenolic compounds (- 2432 mg/I), of tannins (- 2.95 g/I) and of anthocyans (- 415 mg/I) and the color intensity (OD 280 nm = 0.56) after treatment are unchanged relative to the control. 5 The most efficient treatment protocol is the successive addition of 2 times 200 g/hl of F1, which makes it possible to reduce the OTA content to 1.8 pg/. The contact time of F1 (3 days or 10 days) with the wine has no effect on the removal of the contaminant. 10 EXAMPLE 14- Laboratory scale filtration of a white beer in the presence of chitin-glucan at a dose of 200 g/hl A batch of 10 liters of white beer is selected for filtration on a vertical 15 candle filter in the presence of chitin-glucan at a dose of 200 g/hl. The chitin glucan used is in the form of a powder with a particle size ranging from 50 to 90 pm. In a first stage, a prelayer of chitin-glucan is formed on a vertical candle filter of aperture 30 pm. The chitin-glucan powder is suspended at 10% in water, 20 and mixed for 1 hour before being deposited on the filter by circulation in a closed circuit at a flow rate of 20 hl.h-1m-2. In a second step, the circulation flow rate is reduced to 8 hl.h-'.m 2 and a water/beer mixture and then beer is circulated in an open circuit. The beer is placed in contact beforehand with chitin-glucan at a dose of 200 g/hl in the body 25 feeding vat. The beer is filtered at a flow rate of 7 to 8 hl.h- 1 .m- 2 on the chitin glucan filtercake until all the volume has been filtered. The beer is then cooled to 8 0 C and a sample is taken for analysis of the coagulable nitrogen and of the total polyphenols.

bi PCT/FR2006/050674 Results: Table 48- Removal of the mycotoxins in the beer Beer IN Beer OUT % removed by filtration on chitin-glucan Coagulable nitrogen 378 mg/I 162 mg/I 57% Total polyphenols 230 mg/I 225 mg/I 2% 5 The chitin-glucan powder forms a filtercake that is sparingly compressible on the filter support used. The protein content, characterized by the content of coagulable nitrogen, of the beer filtered on this filtercake (OUT) is 57% less than the protein content of the control beer (IN). The total polyphenol content is 10 unchanged.

Claims (15)

1. A method for treating a food-grade liquid of plant origin, comprising the placing in contact of a food-grade liquid of plant origin with at least one 5 technological additive, said technological additive being a fungal extract predominantly comprising at least one nonionic polysaccharide, said nonionic polysaccharide predominantly comprising at least one chitin-glucan copolymer.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the nonionic 10 polysaccharide predominantly comprises N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (chitin) and D-glucose (beta-glucan) units.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the chitin glucan copolymer has a chitin/glucan ratio of between 95:5 and 5:95 (m/m). 15

4. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the chitin-glucan copolymer has a chitin/glucan ratio of between 70:30 and 20:80 (m/m). 20

5. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the chitin-glucan copolymer comprises an amount of chitin (poly(N-acetyl-D glucosamine)) of less than 60% by mass relative to the total mass of the copolymer. 25

6. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the chitin-glucan copolymer comprises an amount of chitin (poly(N-acetyl-D glucosamine)) of between 20% and 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the copolymer. PCT/FR2006/050674

7. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the chitin-glucan copolymer comprises an amount of glucan (poly(D-glucose)) of less than 30% by mass relative to the total mass of the copolymer. 5

8. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the chitin-glucan copolymer comprises an amount of glucan (poly(D-glucose)) preferably of less than 25% relative to the total mass of the copolymer.

9. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, for the partial 10 or total removal of undesirable compounds, which are the causes of instability or of health risks.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the undesirable compounds are chosen from the group consisting of colloids causing instability, 15 colloids causing cloudiness, colloids that give poor-quality organoleptic properties, proteins, metals, heavy metals, in particular iron, cadmium and lead, residual pesticides such as fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, and toxins, for instance mycotoxins and bacterial endotoxins, and in that their removal has the aim of improving the quality of the food-grade liquid. 20

11. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, for treating finished food-grade liquids.

12. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, for clarifying a food 25 grade liquid of plant origin.

13. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the food-grade liquid of plant origin is chosen from a fermented beverage and a fruit juice. 30 64 PCT/FR2006/050674

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the fermented beverage is a wine.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the fermented 5 beverage is a beer.