Steve Slatcher wrote:

> I don't think I have ever seen a detailed explanation of how a cork
> gets TCA (something to do with fungus and bleach, I know), why some
> corks get it and others don't, and how it can be prevented from
> getting into a cork. Can someone help out here?

Steve,
From all that I've read and heard, there is still a lot of dispute
over the source(s) of TCA. Some people claim that it is the product of
fungal or bacterial infection; others claim that it results from the use
of chlorinated bleaches to sterilize corks or barrels. FWIW, I can draw
a plausible reaction mechanism that shows the coversion of lignins
(polyphenolics found in wood and cork) to TCA upon contact with a
chlorine source.

HTH
Mark Lipton