I just found out that the Clearing agent in the wine kit I bought is made from Shell fish. Of course my wife is allergic to shell fish. Is there alturnitives to using something else that dose the same thing that is not made of shell fish???? Any help is always apreciated.

[mrs.erinss]

You are probably talking about the Chitosan, right? I, myself, am also VERY (deathly) allergic to shellfish. I have had wine that was cleared with Chitosan (as well as other things - it's in alot of stuff, like binders for pills and things) and have not had a reaction. The Chitosan is actually made from the shells of the shellfish not the "meat" itself. And the meat is the part of the animal that contains the actual allergen.

I would say she'd be fine, but of course I am no doctor, hold no liability, etc, etc. Just my two cents.

I was told to buy Novozyme pectic enzyme and use that instead just to make sure. The producer of the kit is going to send me some at no charge.

Thanks

[Wade E]

This is a forever thread which appears every 2-3 months, this is an article copied and paseted here from Winepress and the author of this statement is non other then the technical supervisor Tim Vandergrift who works for Winexpert wine kits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Isinglass is derived from the swim bladder of a scaled fish (not a sturgeon) in the cichlid family.

Chitosan is a super-long-chain sucrose polymer originally derived from the chitinous exoskeleton of shrimp, crab and lobster. Because shellfish allergies are triggered by proteins, it's safe--no protein.

I have a friend who is so allergic to shellfish he can't go to seafood restaurants: the steam from a platter of shrimp could kill him. He can drink chitosan without effect.
Our liability would be unlimited if we harmed just one person with the stuff--it's safe as houses."

[smurfe]

I don't know what Metabisulphate, the title of this thread has to do with fining agents as they are different things but there are other fining agents out there if you are concerned. There is gelatins, Bentonite, Egg Whites, etc.

[Vanterax]

Originally Posted by smurfe

There is gelatins, Bentonite, Egg Whites, etc.

Seriously? Egg whites? Plain egg whites from an egg? Well, the things you learn from this forum.

[smurfe]

Here is a White Paper of various Fining Agents. Pretty informative.

http://www.uark.edu/depts/ifse/grapeprog/articles/nmc14wg.pdf

Thanks for all of the help.