Volatile compounds generation during different stages of the Tequila production process. A preliminary study

• Published in: Food science & technology Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 471 - 483
• Main Authors: Prado-Jaramillo, Norma, Estarrón-Espinosa, Mirna, Escalona-Buendía, Héctor, Cosío-Ramírez, Ricardo, Martín-del-Campo, Sandra T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2015
• Subjects: Aroma; Liquid–liquid extraction; Tequila; Tequila production process; Volatile compounds; Liquid–liquid extraction; Tequila production process; Volatile compounds; Aroma; Tequila
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2014.11.042

Samples obtained during 8 stages of Tequila's production process were analyzed to follow generation and/or disappearance of minor volatile compounds. Volatile compounds were extracted with the liquid-liquid batch extraction method and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector and mass-selective detector. A total of 327 compounds were identified and 316 relatively quantified. Analysis of variance showed that 90 compounds had significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between process stages, but only dipropyl disulfide (p = 0.048) had significant differences between batches and furfuryl alcohol (p = 0.022), myristic acid (p = 0.039), 3-methyl-cyclopentanone (p = 0.044), and 9-hydroxypyrimido[1,6-a]pyrimidin-4-one (p = 0.048) between factories. Principal component analysis (PCA) made it possible to describe two groups including juices and musts (J&M) and distilled samples (S) separated mostly by PC1. Using general discriminant analysis (GDA) of the volatile compounds data set, made it possible to distinguish samples according to 8 sampling 90.3% of the time. •We followed aroma compounds formation throughout 8 steps of Tequila production.•Samplings were performed at industrial scale.•Minor aroma compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography.•Statistical analysis showed differences between process steps.