Effects of low pressure and a rectification column on the volatile composition of fermented grape distillate

• Published in: International journal of food science & technology Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 403 - 410
• Main Authors: Da Porto, Carla, Longo, Michele, Sensidoni, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.10.1996; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Batch still; Biological and medical sciences; Brandies, spirituous liquors; Fermented food industries; flavour; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; rectifying column; vacuum; Vacuum distillation; Distillate; Rectification; Fractionation; Pressure effect; Grape; Low pressure; Volatile organic compound; Fermented product; Distillation column; Flavor; Food engineering
• ISSN: 0950-5423; 1365-2621
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2621.1996.00362.x

Fermented crushed Prosecco grapes were distilled using a batch still under normal (100.9 kPa) and reduced pressure (40 or 47 kPa) with and without the rectifying column of the distillation equipment. To improve insight into the behaviour of ethanol and the partitioning of some volatile compounds, each distillate was collected in fractions and analysed for lower volatile alcohols and esters. The results show that the behaviour of ethanol under reduced pressure was more consistent, the proof level higher than at normal pressure and there was a stripping effect on the volatile compounds considered at low pressure. This effect is enhanced when the rectifying column is included. It was concluded that it could be advantageous to use ‘vacuum distillation’ because it simplifies the operation of the equipment and leads to an overall reduction of the heating required, although there are problems of losses of desirable aromatic compounds.