Goodbye and good riddance to mould: Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier eliminates mould from the wine cellar

Optimal humidity is one of the most important factors in maturing a quality wine. Although this condition may sound simple, it actually poses a challenge to many winemakers. If the amount of moisture in the air is too low, the natural cork in the wine bottles can dry out. On the other hand, if relative humidity is too high, there is a risk of mould growth. A current study by BiolytiQs GmbH (1) shows that both of these problems find a solution in the Sharp KC-860E Plasmacluster Air Purifier. The integrated air humidifying system of this high-tech unit ensures sufficient relative humidity, whilst the integrated Sharp plasmacluster technology removes the increased mould concentration in interior air.

“Mould infestation in wine cellars is often not detectable at first sight, until its undesirable consequence come to light: the corks start to rot, soften and finally lose their air tightness, so that in the end the wine is exposed to the air.  Certain species of mould also release toxins that are harmful health," explains Beate Moresmau, Product Manager Home Appliances Sharp Electronics Europe. In a lab test, BiolytiQs GmbH has now proved that the increased mould concentration in the interior air of a wine cellar is eliminated after three hours of operation of our KC-860E Air Purifier with plasmacluster technology,” continues Moresmau.

The test was conducted in a wine cellar with relative humidity between 65 and 85% and a temperature between 12 and 16 degrees Celsius. Before the test, BiolytiQs had established the level of mould infestation by means of a lab sample(2). Air samples were then again taken after one hour and three hours of running the Sharp KC 860E. The analysis shows that the number of pollutant particles was reduced to zero after three hours of operating the air purifier(3). This performance protects the wine against any loss of quality and protects humans from any health risk.

The reason behind this effectiveness is that the key component of the Sharp KC-860E – the plasmacluster ion generator – splits the water molecules in the indoor air into their natural components of hydrogen and oxygen. Thousands of these positive and negative ions are thereby released into the ambient air and immediately set to work as invisible power packs everywhere in the cellar. They attach themselves to harmful particles, break open their cell wall and eliminate them. In combination with the three-stage filtration system, consisting of ultra-fine pre-filter, washable deodorising filter and high-performance HEPA filter(4), the Sharp air purifiers banish mould spores from cellar air while at the same time providing an automatic air humidification function to ensure the optimal conditions for wine storage.
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1 The Laboratory for Biological Analysis (BiolytiQs GmbH) in Düsseldorf carried out the analyses of the air samples.
2 According to the guide used in analysing the air samples (“Moulds in interior spaces” by the Baden Württemberg Health Agency – Landesgesundheitsamt Baden-Württemberg), the mould concentration was qualified as "high".
3 The number of colony-building units of aspergillus versicolor per culture medium in 100 litres of air was 6 before switching on the KC-806E, and again 6 after one hour of operation. After three hours of operation, no more units were found at all. 
4 High Efficiency Particulate Air filter