Academy of Sciences to assess quality of Moldovan wines

The Academy of Science of Moldova set up a working group that will examine the Moldovan wines to detect noxious substances, especially those invoked by Russia's food safety body Rospotrebnadzor, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference, Boris Gaina, of the Academy's Agricultural Sciences Subdivision, said the working group will also examine wines made in Europe in order to discover and determine the quantity of harmful substances there. In this process, the group will seek help from the countries whose wines will be analyzed. Doctor habilitate Rodica Sturza, administrator of the National Center for Assessing the Quality of Alcoholic Beverages, said the ftalats invoked by Rospotrebnadzor represent a class of broadly used chemical substances found in paint, cosmetics, perfumes, toys for children, rubber, etc. According to her, in Russia the use of such substances in food products is banned, while in Moldova it is not. “The working group will consider the possibility of adopting legislation regulating the use of these substances,” Rodica Sturza said. She also said that after Russia issued the warning, the National Center examined 180 samples of Moldovan wines. There were discovered very low concentrations of ftalats that are not dangerous to life and health. Food toxicology expert Maria Gonta, the head of the State University's Ecological and Industrial Chemistry Department, said the ftalats are generally toxic and can affect the reproductive organs if in large quantities. The children can be affected when they come into contact with rubber objects, while the women when using cosmetic products. According to Maria Gonta, the quantity of ftalats in wines is very small. Doctor of Technical Sciences Elena Scorbano, the head of the laboratory for wine products examination, said the vines are treated with substances containing ftalats. Boris Gaina stressed the working group will systematize the collected information about the detected noxious substances and will present a report on December 30.