IVAS 2022 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 IVAS 9 IVAS 2022 9 High density balsamic vinegar: application of stable isotope ratio analysis to determine watering down.

High density balsamic vinegar: application of stable isotope ratio analysis to determine watering down.

Abstract

Aceto balsamico di Modena IGP (ABM) is an Italian worldwide appreciated PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) vinegar,  obtained from cooked and/or concentrated grape must (at least 20% of the volume), with the addition of at least 10% of wine vinegar and a maximum 2% of caramel for color stability (EU Reg. 583/ 2009). The geographical origin of ABM ingredients is never specified.
Since 2013, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has issued a method for determining the water fraudulently added to the vinegar and the balsamic vinegar product (EN16466-3 18O-IRMS). The method is based on the stable isotope ratios analysis of the bulk AMB sample (expressed as δ18O in ‰ with respect to the international standard V-SMOW2).
Balsamic vinegars with very high density (higher than 1.37 g / mL of sugar) are available on the market. They are obtained by adding a high amount of concentrated must or by a long aging of the product in the barrel, which leads to an intense evaporation and concentration.
Products with such high density cannot be analyzed by using the official method as reported in the EN16466-3 18O-IRMS. Indeed, in this conditions, the equilibration between CO2 and the water in the sample, being the base principle of the process, does not occur.
In this work, the official method has been modified and validated, calculating repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R), by proceeding with a prior dilution of the sample and by applying a correction to the data in order to eliminate the diluent isotopic contribution. Considering the limit value of δ18O for a non-watered product reported in the literature for vinegar and for rectified concentrated must [1-2], the threshold limit of δ18O below which the ABM product can be considered as adulterated was identified.

References

[1] J. Agric. Food Chem. 2014, 62, 32, 8197–8203
[2] Food Control 2013, 29(1), 107–111

DOI:

Publication date: June 24, 2022

Issue: IVAS 2022

Type: Poster

Authors

Perini Matteo1, Pianezze Silvia1 and Paolini Mauro

1FONDAZIONE EDMUND MACH

Contact the author

Keywords

stable isotope analysis, balsamic vinegar, high density, watering down

Tags

IVAS 2022 | IVES Conference Series

Citation

Related articles…

Towards 2D mapping of gaseous ethanol in the headspace of wine glasses by infrared laser spectrometry

Under standard wine tasting conditions, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for the wine’s bouquet progressively invade the chemical space perceived by the consumer in the glass headspace.

Colloids in red wines: new insights from recent research

Despite their significant impact on wine quality and stability, colloids in red wine remain relatively under-researched. A series of studies, developed in the context of the d-wines project, aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure, composition, and formation mechanisms of red wine colloids by studying monovarietal wines from 10 of the most significant Italian red grape varieties. Starting from the idea that proteins, polysaccharides, and tannins should be involved in colloid formation, 110 monovarietal red wines were analysed for these components, revealing high inter- and intra-varietal diversity [1].

Viticultural zoning of central chile based on bioclimatic indexes and the impact of climate warming

Climate is considered one of the main factors that determines the aptitude of a specific location for growing grapes and producing high quality wine, being in that sense one of the main elements defining the concept of terroir

Designing and managing a sustainable vineyard in a climate change scenario

Extension of the growing season, compression of the annual growth cycle and higher frequency and severity of weather extreme events are consistent features of global warming. While mitigation of factors causing global warming is necessary in the medium-long term, wine growers need “ready to go” adaptation practices to counteract negative effects bound to climate change. This must be done in a sustainably way, meaning that remunerative yield, desired grape quality, low production cost and environment friendly solutions must be effectively merged. In this work, we will review contribution given over the last two decades prioritizing issues related to scion and rootstock choice, changes in vineyard floor management, new perception related to the use of irrigation in vineyards, adaptation practices aimed at decompress maturity, solutions to counteract or minimize damages due to late frost and sunburn and, lastly, some hints on how precision viticulture can help with all of this.

The evolution of wine tourism: trends, challenges and opportunities for the future

The wine tourism industry has experienced significant transformation over the past years, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.